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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25389172">A Family Affair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing'>madrose_writing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Dirty Talk, Double Penetration, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Foursome - F/M/M/M, Harmony - Freeform, Jamione - Freeform, No Incest, One Night Stands, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, Sirmione - Freeform, Threesome - F/M/M, Triad - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 08:01:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>34,661</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25389172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/madrose_writing/pseuds/madrose_writing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There are a lot of things that Hermione typically doesn't do, but as they say, there's a first time for everything. And in one night, she certainly experiences quite a few of them. A budding romance becomes exceedingly more difficult when the co-stars of her fondest memory make a reappearance in the most unexpected of ways. As does the way everyone handles the truth.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/James Potter, Hermione Granger/James Potter/Sirius Black, Hermione Granger/James Potter/Sirius Black/Harry Potter, Lily Evans/Severus Snape, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>295</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am on TikTok as madrose_writing so if you plan on sharing my content in any way, PLEASE TAG ME!</p><p>*currently I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION to have this or any of my fics bound.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>ONE</strong>
      </p>
      <p>Tonight, it seemed, was a night of things Hermione had never done. Things she didn't even know she wanted to do until she was presented with the choice to do them.</p>
      <p>For instance, she never went to the bar alone. Never did anything alone, really, but bars especially. She tried to avoid them even when she had someone to go with her. It was the blaring music, the lowered inhibitions, and the constant horny frat boys that insisted he was the answer to all her prayers. That didn't mean she didn't enjoy the occasional party, but bars were never her go-to place. But after walking up to her shared flat, hearing her roommate in the middle of a row with her boyfriend, Hermione decided it would be best to stay out for a bit longer.</p>
      <p>The downside was that bars were the only thing open after a certain time. Being that it was a Friday night, Hermione decided it was best to drive as far as she could away from the college part of town. Just because she needed a place to chill for a few hours didn't mean she wanted to do so around people she might know or people that partied too hard because it was considered cool.</p>
      <p>She managed to find a small pool hall in a not so busy part of town. In fact, she was so close to the suburbs that the current clientele was mostly comprised of middle-aged men and women just blowing off steam from a long work week. Not a frat boy in sight.</p>
      <p>Which brought her to her second first for the evening.</p>
      <p>While she sat at the bar nursing a bottle and picking at some chips, she cracked open one of the books she kept in her purse. After the first few rows between Cormac and Lavender, Hermione had learned the hard way to always keep some reading material in her bag. She had only gotten a few pages in when she got that feeling of being watched. It was easy to find the source; a pair at the end of the hall. They continued to steal glances at her even after she had rolled her eyes at the both of them.</p>
      <p>But something about them had her shifting in her seat. And before she knew it, whether due to her curiosity or the boldness of the alcohol in her system, she slid from her seat and approached them. They introduced themselves and invited her to play a game or two with them. She accepted and before long, she was flirting with two strange men in a bar.</p>
      <p>And when they invited her home with them, she accepted without hesitation; her third first for the night.</p>
      <p>From what she had learned about them at the bar, the pair had been friends for ages. That they lived together in Sirius' house, one that he inherited when his parents passed. James had moved in once he and his wife had separated years ago. His revelation had spared her the awkward task of asking about the faded tan lines on his left hand that indicated a ring had once resided there.</p>
      <p>Upon entering the rowhouse they shared, it was clear that they were bachelors. From Sirius' body language, Hermione wondered if he did anything other than pick up a girl from a bar; a thought that made her rethink her decision to come home with them. She didn't even know their last names. It was all so unlike her, but one smile from both of them as they held the door open for her had her shoving those thoughts away.</p>
      <p>No sooner did the door close behind her did Hermione find herself pressed up against it. Sirius' hand wrapped lightly around her throat, his fingers pressing into her jaw to tilt her head up. His lips descended upon hers, taking advantage of her gasp to slide his tongue along hers. Her fingers clutched at his shirt, unsure if to push him away or pull him closer, but he pulled away before she could decide.</p>
      <p>She barely had time to catch her breath before James took his place. Instead of her throat, his hand cupped her jaw. The moment his lips touched hers, his hand slid back to hold the back of her head, his fingers brushing through her curls. His kiss left her equally as breathless when he pulled away and she sagged back against the door.</p>
      <p>She cleared her throat and stared at them both with wide eyes. "Bathroom?"</p>
      <p>"Right this way, Kitten," Sirius said, his voice low. He led her down the hall with his hand resting on the small of her back. "We'll be in the living room through that arch over there," he said, pointing it out. "Take all the time you need."</p>
      <p>She closed the door softly behind her and took more time than she really needed. It only took a few minutes to relive herself and wash her hands; the rest of the time was spent staring at herself in the mirror wondering if she was actually going to go through with this. She would be lying if she said she hadn't been intrigued by the idea of two men at the same time. It wasn't necessarily a fantasy of hers, but she'd heard enough praise about it from some of her more forward friends to pique her curiosity.</p>
      <p>Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she sent a quick text to Lavender, telling her that she was crashing with a friend and not to worry if she didn't come home. She didn't wait for a response before muting her phone and tossing it back into her purse. With one last look at herself and a deep breath, she left the bathroom.</p>
      <p>Sirius was sitting on a chaise when she crossed the threshold into the living room while James was pouring what she was sure wasn't his first drink since their arrival. He offered her a glass and she accepted, choosing to stand rather than sit down. James handed her a glass and she drank half of it before pressing the glass to her lips.</p>
      <p>"Do you two do this often?" she asked, swirling the remaining liquid in her glass with a flick of her wrist.</p>
      <p>"Pick up women?" Sirius asked, a glimmer in his black eyes.</p>
      <p>"Pick up the <em>same </em>woman." She eyed the two of them. "Are you together and just branch out every now and then, or...?"</p>
      <p>They both chuckled and shook their heads. "This isn't the first time we've seen someone we've both been unable to pass up on," James said, taking a slow drink from his glass.</p>
      <p>"And to answer your question, Kitten, we are not an item. We just want what we want." He got up and made his way over to her, reaching out to tuck some curls behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her jaw, making her shiver. "And right now, what we want is you."</p>
      <p>"But only if you want us," James added. "We don't want you to regret anything, love."</p>
      <p>She nodded and her lashes fluttered against her cheeks as Sirius' fingers trailed down her neck. "Usually I don't do anything without truly thinking about it first," she said, her voice on the raspy side. She opened her eyes and stared at Sirius. "But you're making it hard to think about anything."</p>
      <p>His grin was downright sinful as he closed the distance between them. Slowly, he let his fingers ghost down her forearm until they circled around her wrist. A whimper tore past her lips as he guided her hand to cup his arousal through the seat of his black denim. His breath warmed her skin as his lips grazed the shell of her ear when he spoke. "I'm not the only one making things hard, Kitten."</p>
      <p>By some miracle, her glass didn't break when it slipped from her fingers as her other hand dove into Sirius' hair. Her other hand massaged him through his jeans as his lips sucked at the sensitive flesh at the edge of her jaw beneath her ear. He groaned as she pulled away from him long enough to drop to her knees before him. A blush crept its way up her neck and onto her face at the way his eyes darkened. She wasn't usually so forward, but it was just one more thing in a night full of firsts.</p>
      <p>She held his gaze as she brought her hands to the fly of his jeans. His fingers thread through her curls as she tugged his clothes away from his hips. She wet her lips as he sprang free, his cock already hard and weeping for her as she wrapped her hand around his shaft. As she gave him a few leisurely strokes, she slid her gaze over to James. He was watching them intently while he sipped on the remainder of his drink. She only looked away when he set the empty glass down and took the few steps forward to join them.</p>
      <p>She relinquished her hold on Sirius in favor of turning towards James. She repeated her earlier actions with him, pulling his free from his trousers as well. After another blush and a smirk, she leaned in and wrapped her lips around James' cock. The groan she pulled from him made her moan around him. As she worked her mouth and hand in tandem to please him, her other hand reached out to reclaim her earlier hold on Sirius. She closed her eyes then, enjoying the rush of power that this position brought.</p>
      <p>Fingers wrapped around her hair and tugged, the slight pain adding to the moment as she bobbed her head back and forth. She pulled back to take a deep breath and in a split second, she decided to turn her head, taking Sirius into her mouth and using her hand on James. Unlike James, Sirius bucked his hips and hit the back of her throat. She sputtered a little from the action, drool seeping past her lips, but she breathed through her nose and kept going.</p>
      <p>"Fuck," he hissed from above her, rolling his hips again. "Keep that up, Kitten, and I'll be coming down your throat." She hummed around him, her thighs clamping together at the image he painted. He took her head in both his hands as he drew back, the head of his cock on her lips. "Is that what you want?"</p>
      <p>She nodded as she caught her breath, her gaze finding his. "Yes."</p>
      <p>He shuddered from above her and gave her that smirk she was beginning to think was a signature part of his look. "Open up," he demanded, his voice a silken purr. Her lips parted to obey and she moaned as he slid along her tongue until he was hitting the back of her throat. She placed her hands on his thighs as he gripped her head and began to fuck her mouth, a slew of curses tumbling past his lips in the process.</p>
      <p>Distracted as she was, she hadn't noticed that James had knelt behind her. She hadn't felt him push her skirt up to her hips or slide her knickers down her thighs. She only noticed when his hand slid along her backside and through her nether lips. She jumped and moaned around Sirius' cock, the action allowing him to sink even deeper down her throat.</p>
      <p>"That's it, love," James breathed from behind her as he coated his finger in her slick before pressing it into her core. "See if you can take a little more."</p>
      <p>She tried her best to relax her throat and her fingers flexed their hold on Sirius as he pushed forward a little more. His hips jerked when it worked and both men cursed loudly when her nose touched his skin. As if to reward her, James added a second finger and increased the pace of his ministrations.</p>
      <p>Hermione continued to force air through her nose as Sirius also picked up the pace of his thrusts. From her general experience with sex, she knew it wouldn't be long before he came. Typically, she wasn't one to bring her partner off with her mouth, let alone swallow, but going with her theme of the night, she was determined to succeed.</p>
      <p>James' hand cupped her breast and teased her pert nipple through the fabric of her clothes. His voice was soft near her ear as he spoke, the words bringing her closer to her own release. "He's so close, love. Be a good girl and swallow him down." His teeth grazed the flesh of her lobe and she moaned, earning another round of curses from Sirius. "If you do, I'll bend you over the arm of the couch and fuck you senseless."</p>
      <p>Sirius slammed into the back of her throat with a harsh grunt and he tightened his hold on her head. There was a moment of shock as the first spurt of his release hit, but she was able to recover quickly and swallow around his cock. She managed to get most of it down, but some of it leaked past her lips, dribbling down her chin and landing on her chest. Without a care in the world, Sirius hauled her to her feet and slanted his mouth over hers, the remnants of his release flavoring their kiss; some of which transferred from her skin to his.</p>
      <p>True to his word, James tore her away from Sirius and bent her over the arm of the couch. She wasn't even aware that she had stepped out of her knickers, but when she didn't trip over them, she figured that must have been the case. In the span of a few short seconds, James was lining himself up and making her cry out for him when he seated himself inside of her.</p>
      <p>She gripped whatever part of the couch she could reach as James set a brutal pace of fucking her from behind. He had already gotten her halfway to her breaking point before joining their bodies and when his hand slipped between them to rub at her clit, she knew she wouldn't last. Already, her inner walls were clutching at him, trying to draw him deeper into her body. And when she came, she felt it from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.</p>
      <p>James came with a grunt and she could feel him pulsing as he emptied himself inside of her. He collapsed at her back a moment later and they panted for air. When he did pull away, he guided her to the front of the couch and then helped her sit. Only, instead of letting her sit next to him, he pulled her down into his lap with her back to his front. And before she could do anything but whimper, Sirius was kneeling in front of them, pushing her thighs up until James could hook his arms beneath her knees, leaving her wide open to Sirius.</p>
      <p>Weakly, she reached down in an attempt to push him away, but her protest quickly turned into a moan as his tongue swept through her sodden folds. Her entire body trembled as she tried her best to squirm away, but James only spread her open more and Sirius chuckled as he lapped up her and James' combined release as it dripped out of her.</p>
      <p>"Be a good girl, love Let him clean you up," James whispered, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We want to hear you come again. You can do that for us, can't you?"</p>
      <p>She nodded and murmured what was meant to be an agreement, but turned out to be nothing more than garbled nonsense turned to moans. And when her squirming turned to riding Sirius' face as he continued to feast upon her core, James loosened his hold ever so slightly. Before she knew it, she was crying out for both of them, but Sirius didn't stop there. Instead, he sucked her clit between his lips and increased his assault with his tongue until she was coming a third time.</p>
      <p>In a daze, Hermione barely registered that they moved her to the couch cushion. Even after she came back to reality, she was nothing more than a boneless mess as she sat between the two of them. Her thighs were inexplicably wet from the three of them and there was still Sirius' release on her chin and chest. Her hair was a right mess, but she was thoroughly fucked and sated.</p>
      <p>And none of them were even fully undressed yet.</p>
      <p>After some time to regroup, James was the first one to his feet. He extended a hand to Hermione, one that she took right away and followed him upstairs to a bedroom. Sirius was close at her heels and once they were behind the closed door, their clothes soon found the floor. Hermione spent the rest of her night dividing her time between the two of them; worshiping their bodies each in turn just as much as they worshiped hers.</p>
      <p>But in the morning, when she woke tangled in the sheets between them, she made the decision to slip away without waking them. Without divulging last names or exchanging numbers, she was able to put the night behind her as a fond memory to look back on. She ordered herself a Lyft as she cleaned up and redressed and as the car pulled away from the rowhouse to take her back to her own vehicle, she promised herself she wouldn't regret a single moment she'd spent wrapped up between the two of them.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>TWO</strong>
      </p>
      <p>Hermione stretched her arm across the space between their seats and put her hand palm up in Harry's lap. He let go of the steering wheel in favor of lacing his fingers with hers. She smiled as he brought her hand up and pressed his lips along her knuckles. "You're not still nervous, are you?" he asked.</p>
      <p>"Of course I'm nervous, Harry," she replied, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand. "Meeting your mother was one thing. It was just her and your step-father. But meeting your father…" She wet her lips and tightened her grasp on his hand. "You say he has all this family and that it's a reunion of sorts that we're going to. Are you sure it has to be today?"</p>
      <p>He gave her a lopsided smile, taking his eyes off the road for a brief second. "Wouldn't it be better to just get everyone out of the way?"</p>
      <p>"Meeting your family shouldn't be like pulling off a BandAid."</p>
      <p>He chuckled under her breath at her comparison and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Relax, Hermione. They're going to love you, just like I do, okay?" He kissed the back of her hand one more time before letting go so he could turn properly at the next light. "Besides, I met both of your parents."</p>
      <p>She sighed and plucked at the skirt of her dress. Her parents were still married while Harry's had divorced when he was younger. His mother had remarried a few years later to a childhood crush and while his step-father wasn't the most approachable person on the planet, he cared for Lily and that was all that mattered. She could tell upon their first meeting a month ago that even after all that time, he and Harry still hadn't warmed up to one another, but at least there was some mutual respect between the pair.</p>
      <p>Either way, so far her parents adored Harry while his mother and step-father gave varying levels of approval to her. She had always looked forward to meeting his mother. He talked about her all the time; mostly due to the fact that he had lived with her after the divorce. He saw his father for his visitation schedule, but Hermione got the impression they weren't as close as he was with his mother.</p>
      <p>And as nervous as she was about it, she was excited too. They had been together for six months, having met just after graduation. They had exchanged I love you's fairly early on, but it had felt right at the time; not rushed. The first time she had met him, they confessed they felt like they had know each other forever and they got along so well at times it scared her. But for the most part, she was grateful to have someone like him in her life and saw him being there for years to come.</p>
      <p>Meeting his other parent would just be the last thing to make sure everything felt right and, as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. The sooner they got that part out of the way, the faster they could move on to other chapters of their life together. So by the time Harry pulled into the driveway of a decent two-story house, she had successfully calmed her nerves and was ready to rip off that BandAid.</p>
      <p>"Wow," she breathed as she stared at the exterior. "Nice place."</p>
      <p>"This actually belongs to my father's friend Remus," Harry explained as he got out of his seat. She waited until he opened her door and helped her out like the gentleman that he was. "My father moved in with my godfather after the divorce and he never bothered to find another place."</p>
      <p>"And the children?" she asked as screeching laughter filled the air.</p>
      <p>"Remus and Dora's son, Teddy," he said with a smile.</p>
      <p>"Anything I should know before we go in?" she asked.</p>
      <p>He shook his head and stepped forward until she was pinned between him and the passenger side door of his truck. He cupped her face with one hand, the other squeezing her hip as he leaned in. She sighed against his lips as her palms lay flat against his chest. The kiss only lasted for a minute before he pulled way with a lazy smile and led her to the front door.</p>
      <p>Inside, there was more people than she originally thought, but quickly learned that the majority of people his father considered family were actually friends. She met the hosts; a lovely couple who threw all sorts of jabs at one another in the most endearing of ways. Then there were Frank and Alice Longbottom; parents of Neville who Hermione already knew. He was even there with his wife Luna and their twin girls. In fact, of all the people she had been introduced to, none of them were Harry's father or godfather.</p>
      <p>"Beer run," Remus informed them when Harry asked.</p>
      <p>"Already?" Harry asked with a downward tug of his lips.</p>
      <p>"They stayed the night," he replied with a shrug. "Grab that, will you?" he asked, nodding to the other plate with items they were about to grill.</p>
      <p>Hermione kissed his cheek. "I'll find you in a minute," she said, watching him walk away. "Where's your bathroom?" she asked Dora once Harry was gone.</p>
      <p>"Down that little hall and around the corner. Last door on the right."</p>
      <p>"Got it, thank you," she said, excusing herself.</p>
      <p>She smiled to herself in the mirror while she washed her hands. So far, so good. It was easier seeing as how there were people here she actually knew. She just hoped that when she actually met the two she came to see, that they took to her just as much as the others had. With a tug at her dress and a deep breath, Hermione opened the door to return to the others.</p>
      <p>Only, there was someone on the other side of the door, blocking her from leaving right away. She froze with her hand on the door knob as recognition flooded her senses. She could tell by the way his brown eyes dilated that he was coming to the same conclusion. Her heart leapt into her throat as she raised a hand to her lips when they parted in shock.</p>
      <p>"James?"</p>
      <p>Her gaze slid past the man in front of her to a second blast from the past. Her head spun and she gripped the knob tighter to keep from swaying. It might have been over two years since <em>that </em>night, but she would never forget their faces. And clearly, they remembered hers as well.</p>
      <p>"Hermione?"</p>
      <p>Harry had never said his father's name. Which made sense seeing as how that wasn't really how one addressed their parents. But seeing him standing in front of her now, there was no mistaking that Harry was clearly his son. As for his godfather, he had said his name a handful of times. As strange a name as Sirius was, she chose to think of their being more than one of them out in the world.</p>
      <p>"<em>You're</em> Harry's girlfriend?" James asked, his voice barely above a whisper.</p>
      <p>"And you're his father," she whispered back.</p>
      <p>"Fuck," he breathed, running a hand through his unruly hair; hair that was identical to Harry's, save for the color.</p>
      <p>Hermione snorted, but only had the capability to nod.</p>
      <p>She did a double take at the sight of Sirius grinning at her. "Always knew we'd see you again, Kitten."</p>
      <p>She shuddered at the use of that pet name; one that she was sure she wasn't the only recipient of. "Sirius," James said, his voice full of caution as he turned.</p>
      <p>But Sirius was ready to throw caution to the wind as he strode purposefully down the hallway until he was pushing past James and into Hermione's personal space. She wanted to pull away as his fingers skimmed along her jaw, but past memories surfaced and her body refused to move. "You ran off without a word," he said, his lips forming into a sort of pout. "We were hoping you would have left a note or a number so we could have a repeat performance, but-"</p>
      <p>"Sirius," James insisted, reaching up to remove his hand from Hermione, finally allowing her to breathe.</p>
      <p>"What?" he asked, turning to James. "I believe we had many a discussion about the one that got away and what we would do if we were ever so lucky as to find her again."</p>
      <p>"She's here with Harry."</p>
      <p>Sirius' jaw ticked and he moved as if in slow motion to look at Hermione again. She gave him a small nod to confirm what James said and finally found the strength to step away from them. "I didn't know," she murmured. "If I had, I-"</p>
      <p>"Don't," James urged with a pained expression. "Don't let what happened with us affect your relationship with Harry."</p>
      <p>"You're his <em>father</em>," she repeated, embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "How can-"</p>
      <p>"Hermione?"</p>
      <p>Harry's voice carried down the hallway and she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Excuse me," she said, slipping past the two of them to seek Harry out. She smiled at him when she saw him in the kitchen and saw that his gaze fixated on the two cases of beer on the counter.</p>
      <p>"Looks like they're back," he said as she reached his side, his arm wrapping around her waist.</p>
      <p>She nodded. "I think I passed them on the way out from the bathroom," she said.</p>
      <p>As if on cue, Sirius and James rounded the corner, trying their best to act as if they hadn't just experienced the shock of a lifetime a few moments prior. "That's them," Harry said with a smile. "Dad, Sirius, this is my girlfriend, Hermione. Mione, this is my father, James, and my godfather, Sirius."</p>
      <p>She gave them each a small wave and an even smaller smile. "Pleasure to meet you both."</p>
      <p>"The pleasure is all ours," Sirius said, the glimmer in his eyes wiping the smile right from her face.</p>
      <p>James nudged him in the ribs and then grabbed one case of beer. "Put this in the fridge in the garage, will you?" he demanded, passing it off to Sirius. When he walked away, James gave Hermione an apologetic grin. "Sorry, he hits on anything that moves."</p>
      <p>"It's true," Harry muttered. "Should have warned you."</p>
      <p>She shrugged as she tried her best to shake off how much it affected her. "It's fine. Shall we go outside?" she asked Harry.</p>
      <p>"Tell Moony we're back," James said. "We'll be out in a moment. I'll have a word with Sirius. It really is nice to finally meet you, Hermione. Harry's told us all great things about you."</p>
      <p>Her smile was genuine as his eyes begged her to forget. She turned to Harry as he led her towards the backyard. "Moony?" she asked.</p>
      <p>He laughed and squeezed her close. "A long story. One for another day." She nodded and let it go as they joined the others.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>It was late when they finally left. Aside from the initial hiccup upon seeing Sirius and James again, the rest of the day had gone well. Most of that she knew was due in part to the fact that she avoided the pair every chance she got. Which was not an easy feat considering who they were and the fact that neither would stop staring at her. Sirius' eyes were full of determination; apparently not caring who she had come with, but James' looks were more sorrowful. She knew he was still trying to strengthen his relationship with his son and didn't want this to get in the way of that. Hermione didn't want that either, which left her with some heavy thinking to do.</p>
      <p>"Did Sirius take it too far?"</p>
      <p>Hermione snapped back to reality at Harry's question and she scrunched her nose at him. "What?"</p>
      <p>"His hitting on you," he replied. "I'm sorry if-"</p>
      <p>"Oh," she interrupted, shaking her head. "He was fine, Harry. That didn't bother me."</p>
      <p>"Are you sure?" Having stopped at a red light, he turned to study her. "Because I get the impression that it did, though I'm not sure what Dad did. You seemed to avoid them both all night."</p>
      <p>"Not true," she argued, putting on a smile. "I thought they were both very nice and I have no problems with either of them." She reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Truly. Everything was perfect."</p>
      <p>He continued to search her face, but found nothing. He smiled and kissed her knuckles before accelerating when the light turned green. "And now all the parents have been met. Feel better?"</p>
      <p>Hermione nodded and said that she did, but the lie was heavy and bitter on her tongue. The memory of a night so long ago was tainted now and for the first time in two years, she found herself regretting it.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>THREE</strong>
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      <p>The weeks that followed Hermione's reintroduction to Sirius and James left her a complete wreck. She was torn between telling Harry because she wasn't foolish enough to think that that secret wouldn't surface at some point or breaking it off with him and save herself a very awkward conversation. Either way, the future of their relationship, as far as she was concerned, was in hot water. Yet, every time she saw him, it was harder to get words of any sort out.</p>
      <p>Yet another sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back in the chair at her desk in her home office. She had lost count of the times she had cursed her rotten luck. Out of all the people in the world, why, oh <em>why</em> did the most impulsive night of her life have to have a connection to her <em>boyfriend</em>.</p>
      <p>At least a perk of working from home was that she could take a shot to chase the thoughts away and no one would know. But it was right as the alcohol burned its way down her throat that someone knocked on the door. She glanced at her phone and frowned at the lack of notifications. As far as she knew, no one was due to come over. The only person that would really show up was Harry, but he was working too.</p>
      <p>With curiosity fueled by the alcohol coursing its way through her system, she opened the door. She went still at the sight of James standing there with a small smile as he raked a hand through his hair. She peered around the door to make sure no one else was there before narrowing her eyes at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "How did you know where I live?"</p>
      <p>"I asked Harry." Her lips parted to berate him, but he held up his hand and rushed on. "Please, just hear me out."</p>
      <p>She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before inclining her head. "I'm listening."</p>
      <p>"Here?" he questioned, looking around. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"</p>
      <p>"I don't-"</p>
      <p>"Hermione, I'm not here for anything other than to talk to you. I promise."</p>
      <p>She swallowed hard and after a moment, stepped back to invite him in. She closed the door and then stepped away from it, crossing her arms as she turned to face him. "What did you tell Harry when you asked him where I lived?"</p>
      <p>"He's under the impression you don't like us. He's not sure what happened, but he wants you to be on good terms with us. I told him that it might have been meeting us around so many others. I asked for your address with the intention of taking you to lunch, just you and I so we could get to know each other better. Harry thought it was a great idea."</p>
      <p>Hermione worried at her bottom lip for a moment, shifting on her bare feet as she let his words sink in. "I think it's a terrible idea."</p>
      <p>There was an unmistakable twitch to his lips as he carded a hand through his hair again. "I know it's awkward, but Harry loves you, Hermione. I meant what I said the other night. That I don't want you to walk away from him because of that night. We can get past this, we just have to put in the effort."</p>
      <p>"I love him too, but this isn't normal. I can't be with him and not tell him about what happened. It feels wrong; like a lie."</p>
      <p>"It's not a lie, Hermione. And it's not like it happened after you started seeing him. It was long before you met."</p>
      <p>"Still," she breathed.</p>
      <p>"Can we at least try?" he asked, determined not to give up. "If it's really something you truly can't do, then I won't try and stop you from either telling him the truth or leaving. I'm just asking for you to try."</p>
      <p>She glanced behind him at the clock on the wall and sighed. "Lucky for you, it's time for my break. I'll be right back."</p>
      <p>"Thank you," he said with a smile.</p>
      <p>He waited while she slipped into her shoes and grabbed her purse. "What about Sirius?"</p>
      <p>"He's in agreement with me, but barely. You'll have to deal with him eventually. He won't be joining us for lunch," he assured her when her lips parted to ask. She gave a nod and then followed him into the hall. After locking her door, she turned and eyed the arm he offered her. "Shall we?" She nodded, but didn't take his arm, choosing instead to walk past him on the way to the stairs at the end of the hall.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>By the time they had finished their meal, Hermione felt a bit more relaxed. They really had gotten to know each other. They talked about what they each did for a living and found a handful of other interests in common. She was glad that they had chosen to walk to a restaurant nearby so that they had more time to talk on the way back as well. As they approached her building, she invited him back inside to finish up their conversation.</p>
      <p>It was when they were wrapping things up that the urge to know forced the words past her lips. "Did Sirius mean what he said the other night?"</p>
      <p>The apple of his throat bobbed as he held her gaze. "Which part?"</p>
      <p>"That you two thought about me. That you hoped we would cross paths again."</p>
      <p>His brow furrowed slightly as he his fingers flexed at his side. "I thought you didn't want to talk about this?"</p>
      <p>"I don't," she said, her voice low. "But I have to know."</p>
      <p>James took a half step forward and Hermione found herself rooted to the spot. "I can't speak for Sirius, though I have an idea, but yes. We spoke about you often. Personally, there hasn't been a day that's gone by where I haven't thought of you." He took another step forward and brought a hesitant hand to rest against her jaw. "Why didn't you wake us? Or leave a note?"</p>
      <p>She shivered as his hand slid into her curls. As his fingers wrapped gently around her hair, tugging her head back, he closed the distance between them so his body was flush against hers. "I don't normally do stuff like that," she whispered, her hands coming up to rest on his hips. "I didn't know if I could again. Anonymity was safer so I left it that way."</p>
      <p>A puff of air escaped his lips as he scoffed. "You shouldn't have left at all," he murmured as he leaned in.</p>
      <p>"James…"</p>
      <p>His name came out in a tortured combination of whisper and whine. Something he hissed in response to as his forehead rested against hers. "Again," he rasped, his lips brushing over hers as he spoke.</p>
      <p>"James…" her voice was barely audible this time and she wondered if he could hear her heart slamming against her ribs.</p>
      <p>A single, "<em>Fuck</em>," fell from his lips before he closed the gap and pressed his lips to hers. Her fingers clutched at his shirt as he surged forward, pinning her between his front and a wall of the entry way. Something clattered to the floor, but she found she didn't care. All she did care about was the way his tongue felt as it slid along hers and the way their bodies molded together as if two halves of the same whole.</p>
      <p>And her mind continued to fog as his lips left hers in favor of trailing a line of scorching kisses and frenzied nips along the column of her throat. He groaned against her skin and she moaned his name as her body arched into his. But the fog began to lift as a familiar melody made its way to their ears, one that she recognized as Harry's ringtone. She pushed at him, calling his name until he let up, though he stayed put as they panted for air.</p>
      <p>When the call went unanswered and the melody stopped, Hermione found the will to speak. "You should go," she whispered.</p>
      <p>He nodded and after placing a brief kiss to her forehead, he turned and left her flat without another word. Hermione lost track of how long she stared at the door before she gathered her wits and returned Harry's call, choosing to move on with her day and, much like that night from long ago, put it behind her and never think of it again.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>That night, Harry had come by with dinner in hand. It was a nice surprise and he was happier than she had previously seen him. She knew it was partly due to the hearing how she and James and set down the right foot this time around. She tried her best to reiterate that she hadn't need some one on one time with him; that she had liked him just fine meeting the way they had.</p>
      <p>And try as she might, she couldn't get the truth to come forth. It had been a mistake to invite James back up to her flat after they ate. It was even more of a mistake to lead the conversation down that treacherous path and she had been burned in doing so. And the need to tell him was strong because now it wasn't just a night years ago; it was a recent kiss that had been too close a call. One that she had no intention of ever repeating.</p>
      <p>But Harry, in his extremely good mood, made it hard for her to dump that kind of news on him. Especially when he followed her into the kitchen to get a refill on her water and pinned her against the counter. She had already been quite worked up from her encounter with James that she didn't protest when Harry began to divulge their clothes and took her from behind with her pressed against the sink.</p>
      <p>And yet, no matter how close Harry pushed her toward the brink of pleasure, her mind refused to cave. Instead, it kept bringing forth images of James and Sirius. Whenever Harry muttered something into her ear, she heard James calling her a good girl. It just didn't feel right to come undone for Harry while thinking of his father. So she did the one thing she never thought she would and faked it. A dangerous game considering Harry wanted her more than once that night.</p>
      <p>The need for release kept her up well past midnight and had her tossing and turning in her bed beside Harry. After many a debate with herself, she waited until Harry turned away from her in his sleep. Knowing he could sleep through a war, her hand crept down beneath the sheets. Her teeth sank into her lower lip to stifle her moan as her fingers found the juncture between her own thighs. She was still soaked from their last round and it was a mixture of her own slick and Harry's release that she gathered and applied to her clit.</p>
      <p>She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Soon, it wasn't her hand between her thighs, it was James' as he knelt behind her. He was telling her what a good girl she was as her nose brushed against Sirius' skin from having his cock deep inside her throat. She released her lip and moaned softly into the otherwise quiet of the room. Her eyes squeezed tighter still as she slipped two fingers into her body and began to pump to the thought of James' cock replacing them. When she came, it was his name that tumbled past her lips.</p>
      <p>Wiping her hand on her sheets, Hermione felt herself finally relaxing. She turned her back to Harry and closed her eyes again. In the morning, she was sure to regret her actions, but at the moment, the pleasure shooting through her body felt too good to care about much else as it lulled her to sleep.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>FOUR</strong>
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      <p>It was that same weekend that Hermione and Harry found themselves shopping. They weren't looking for anything in particular, they just liked browsing through stores and seeing who could find the ugliest or strangest item available. The only thing they usually bought was food. And not meals, no. They raided the sweet shops as if it were going out of style, something he teased her endlessly about because her parents were dentists. Sweets had always been her rebellion.</p>
      <p>Though even she had to admit that after a day of walking around the shop district with nothing but sweets in her stomach was a bad idea. Especially after they decided to see a movie in the middle of the afternoon and binged on popcorn. The salt offset the sugar, but the combination was making her stomach revolt in the worst way. So when she suggested they get real food before heading back to his flat for the evening, he agreed almost immediately.</p>
      <p>Then came their next problem. There wasn't a couple alive that ever had their meal plans figured out or their taste buds in sync. Ultimately, it boiled down to them walking while arguing and then settling on the first restaurant they came across when they had reached their breaking point with each other. The only downside to that approach was they weren't the only ones that had the same idea and when they heard a familiar voice call Harry's name, Hermione realized just how small the world really was.</p>
      <p>And how shit her luck had turned.</p>
      <p>The only saving grace upon seeing Sirius when they turned around to answer the summons was that he wasn't alone. And he wasn't with James either. Hermione thanked what little bit of her luck she had left because she wasn't sure she would have been able to keep it together if it was James there instead of Remus. And her luck didn't last long as they exchanged greetings and Harry invited them to join him and Hermione when it turned out they were about to dine at the same place.</p>
      <p>Hermione sat on the inside of a bench with Harry next to her. Sirius slid in opposite of her and Remus next to him. Even with her focus down on her menu she could feel the weight of Sirius' gaze upon her; something she confirmed the few times she looked up.</p>
      <p>"So James told me the two of you had lunch the other day," Sirius said once the waitress had come to place their orders.</p>
      <p>She reached for her glass of water and wished she had ordered something stronger. "We did. He was under the impression we got off to a bad start, but I assured him that wasn't it," she said, her hand searching for Harry's under the table. She turned her head and smiled up at him. "A minor discrepancy we can all put behind us now."</p>
      <p>"What about the rest of us?" Remus asked, a sparkle to his eye. "We didn't scare you off, did we?"</p>
      <p>She smiled at him, refusing to acknowledge the foot that bumped hers from across the way. "No, everyone was lovely."</p>
      <p>"Even me?"</p>
      <p>Hermione shot Sirius a look, unable to keep Remus from seeing it. "Even you," she said, forcing a smile to her lips. She cleared her throat and moved a tad closer to Harry. "How is Dora?"</p>
      <p>Thus began a meal full of idle chit-chat between the four of them, though Remus and Harry did most of the talking. Hermione spent the better part of the meal pointedly avoiding Sirius' gaze and trying not to kick his foot away from her as he chased after it no matter where she placed hers. Short of tucking her legs up underneath her on the bench, she was sure he wouldn't stop.</p>
      <p>The urge to yell at him and berate him for acting younger than his godson was mortifying.</p>
      <p>After picking up the tab, Remus promised that he and his wife would plan another get together soon and would invite them. Then he took off when she called and asked him to stop at the store on his way home. That left Hermione alone with Harry and Sirius as they walked back towards Harry's car.</p>
      <p>"Where did you park?" Harry asked.</p>
      <p>Sirius paused and gave them a surprised grin as he carded his fingers through his long, dark locks. "I actually came with Moony."</p>
      <p>Hermione looked away so she could roll her eyes. "Will someone please explain that nickname to me?"</p>
      <p>"When we were younger, Remus always had a thing for wolves. Said he wanted to be one when he grew up," Sirius said with a chuckle. "James said it as a joke once and it stuck."</p>
      <p>She hummed at the information and then looked at Harry. "We could give you a ride if you need one."</p>
      <p>Sirius waved him off. "I can call a cab. Or your father. You two should go on home. I think I've stolen enough of your time."</p>
      <p>"Don't be daft. You're on the way," Harry replied, though from what Hermione remembered, the rowhouse was <em>not </em>on the way to Harry's flat.</p>
      <p>Sirius' gaze flickered from her to Harry. "You sure, Kid?"</p>
      <p>"Get in," he ordered with a roll of his eyes.</p>
      <p>"Ladies first," Sirius drawled as he held the passenger door open for her.</p>
      <p>The moment Harry turned over the accelerator, he groaned at the dashboard. "I need to hit the gas station first," he said. "<em>Then </em>I can take you home."</p>
      <p>Harry turned the radio on, setting the volume on low to fill the void when the trio lapsed into silence. Though, thanks to Harry's incessant need to talk, was a rare occurrence. Hermione focused on the road ahead, but found it easy to catch Sirius' gaze in the side mirror often. When they pulled over for gas, Sirius handed him a twenty and refused to take it back.</p>
      <p>The moment the he was out of the car, Hermione whirled around in her seat. "What do you think you're doing?"</p>
      <p>"Getting a ride from my godson."</p>
      <p>She fought the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I'm talking about playing footsie with me during dinner and making all those snide remarks. I'm dating Harry, Sirius, and we're happy. If you care about him at all, you'll stop."</p>
      <p>"James told me <em>everything</em> about your little lunch the other day, Kitten." His eyes glinted with triumph as her cheeks heated. "That doesn't sound like someone who's all that happy in their relationship." His eyes flickered towards the windshield and she turned to settle back in her seat at the sight of Harry returning. She swallowed hard as Sirius spoke again, his lips near her ear from having leaned forward in his seat. "If you hadn't run away from us, you wouldn't be having to fight your feelings right now."</p>
      <p>"Sirius-"</p>
      <p>His right hand slid up through the space between her seat and the frame of the car, completely out of Harry's vision as he stood there, pumping gas. His fingers grazed along the flank of her side and she shivered at the touch. "Why settle for a boy when you can have two men at your disposal?"</p>
      <p>She moved away from him at that, refusing to pay any mind to the dampness in her knickers. She turned to narrow her eyes at him. "I'm not giving up what I have with Harry for a night or two of sex," she said, her tone laced with finality. "No matter how good it was."</p>
      <p>He studied her for a moment before he pulled back. "Suit yourself, Kitten."</p>
      <p>She said nothing as she straightened up and forced a smile on her face as Harry took his seat behind the wheel again. "Okay, anything you need before I drop you off?" he asked, glancing at Sirius from the rear view mirror.</p>
      <p>Sirius' gaze caught hers in the side mirror and her heart skipped a beat as he shook his head. "The only thing I need now is a stiff drink, but I have that at home." He gave her a small wink and his signature smirk. "Wants, on the other hand…"</p>
      <p>Harry laughed and Hermione moved her gaze to the windshield. Sirius had made his point and while she had heard him loud and clear, she planned to stick by what she said. No matter how much he fought to change her mind.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>It was nearly midnight when Hermione made the decision to leave Harry's flat. Even though she knew he wouldn't wake, she still made sure to be as quiet as possible as she left him a note and slipped out. She called a cab and had it meet her around the corner from the building. Having pinned her location when they dropped Sirius off earlier that evening, she gave the address to the driver and off they went. When they arrived, she marched up to the front door and knocked on it before giving herself any time to lose her nerve.</p>
      <p>It took a moment for someone to answer and when the door swung open, she couldn't stop her eyes from drifting over the expanse of James' bare chest. She cleared her throat and snapped her gaze back up to his as he scrubbed at his face. "May I come in?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah, yeah of course," he mumbled, his voice still heavy with sleep as he stepped back to let her in. "What're you doing here? Do you even know what time it is?"</p>
      <p>"Where's Sirius?" she asked, ignoring his question.</p>
      <p>"In his room. Hermione-"</p>
      <p>"Can you bring him down here, please? I need to talk to both of you." Her gaze raked over him once more. "And grab a shirt."</p>
      <p>He nodded a few times and then set off towards the stairs at the back. Hermione traced familiar steps until she found herself in the living room. She swallowed hard at the sight of the furniture; it was the same as it had been the last time she'd been there and the memories were quick to surface. The only thing that helped her squash them was thinking of Harry visiting this place as a child. She wondered how many times he had sat on that couch as an adult since her last visit here.</p>
      <p>"Well what do you know," Sirius drawled as he entered the room. "Dreams <em>do </em>come true."</p>
      <p>"I'm not here for that."</p>
      <p>Sirius pouted, but shrugged and flopped himself down on the chaise, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Then what did you come here for, Kitten? In my experience, when a woman shows up at your door at this time of night, it's only for one thing."</p>
      <p>Hermione closed her eyes for a moment to keep them from rolling. When she opened them again, she turned to James who was still standing, but keeping his distance from her. "I'm telling Harry."</p>
      <p>"Hermione-"</p>
      <p>"Just about that first night, not about what happened between us the other day or earlier," she said, staring at Sirius for the last part. "I just wanted to tell both of you because if he decides he can't be with me knowing what we've done, I don't want either of you coming for me." Her inhale was shaky as she took a moment. "And if he thinks it's something we can move past, then I need the both of you to stop trying to come between us. I love him and I never want to make him choose me or his family, but if you won't let us be, I'll make the decision and walk away."</p>
      <p>"You're sure that's what you want?" Sirius asked, his fingers tapping along the back of the chaise.</p>
      <p>"I won't lie and say that I haven't thought about the two of you since that night or that I always wondered what it would be like to have you again, but it doesn't matter right now." She looked between the two of them. "I meant what I said earlier. I love Harry too much to throw everything away for a night or two trying to recreate that night."</p>
      <p>"What if it wasn't for a night or two?" James asked, his voice quieter than normal.</p>
      <p>"As opposed to what? A relationship?" She scoffed as the two of them exchanged a look. "Regardless, that ship has sailed. I'm asking the two of you to respect my decisions."</p>
      <p>Sirius was on his feet and moving towards her like a lion stalking its prey. He stopped when he reached her, standing less than an arm's length away. She stared up at him with curiosity in her eyes and a quickening of her breath as she tried to predict what he was going to do. "I meant what I said too, Kitten, but I'll do what you ask of me on one condition."</p>
      <p>"Which is?"</p>
      <p>"If this is goodbye, how about a proper send off?" He jerked his head towards James. "It's only fair seeing as how he got one."</p>
      <p>"That was a mistake," Hermione squeaked out. She swallowed and shook her head at him. "I don't owe either of you anything."</p>
      <p>"Then do it because you want to," Sirius said, his fingers curling around her jaw to tilt it up. "I know you do."</p>
      <p>She shivered despite herself and shook her head as best she could in his grasp. "It doesn't matter," she breathed, reaching up to place a hand on his forearm with the intention of pulling his hand away from her face. But the moment she made contact with his skin, it jolted something low in her belly. "It won't change anything," she murmured, not sure who she was trying to convince more; him or herself.</p>
      <p>The words had barely finished tumbling from her lips when both of his hands dove into her curls and pulled her close. His lips crushed against hers and her hands dropped to his hips to steady herself from the force of impact. He wasted no time sliding his tongue into her mouth, devouring and tasting her as if to memorize. She moaned and pulled him closer. Her thighs rubbed together as she recalled the way his tongue had brought her off and her clit throbbed as if begging to experience the sensation again.</p>
      <p>But when he moved back, drawing her towards the couch, she pried herself away from him with a strangled moan and wrapped her arms around herself as she shook uncontrollably. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and cleared her throat. After a moment of staring at the space between them, refusing to let her eyes focus as she caught her breath, she turned and took her leave.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
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        <strong>FIVE</strong>
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      <p>It was ludicrous, the thoughts that plagued her mind the following day. After coming home after one in the morning, Hermione had fought with herself over the need for sleep and the need for release. The latter had won and she spent far too many hours bringing herself off to the thought of not one, not even two, but <em>three</em> men. And after a brief scenario of imagining what it would be like to have them all at the same time, she came so hard she passed out almost immediately.</p>
      <p>It was when she woke up far too late the next morning that she took a shower and forced all thoughts of each man away. She hadn't planned on talking to Harry that night, but she wasn't sure if she could keep it a secret much longer. She didn't want him to know, but she didn't want him to find out in an unpleasant manner. So when she was done with her shower, she finally called him back and asked him to come over for dinner later that night.</p>
      <p>There was worry in his eyes emerald eyes when he arrived that night. She could also feel it in the way his arms tensed as they wound around her. He knew something was up, but he was never the one to assume anything. Besides, whatever he was thinking was nowhere near as bad as what she actually had to tell him.</p>
      <p>She kept the conversation light as they ate, apologizing about leaving in the middle of the night. She had come up with a piss-poor excuse of having forgotten to turn something in that had a deadline. She knew he didn't believe it for a second, but he never questioned it. That alone made her feel worse about the whole situation.</p>
      <p>When they were finished and the leftovers stored in her fridge, Hermione led him to the living room. "Is everything okay?" he asked.</p>
      <p>"We need to talk, Harry," she said, her voice nothing more than a shaky whisper.</p>
      <p>He scooted closer to her on the couch and took both of her hands in his. "What happened? I thought we were happy. I love you, Hermione, I don't want this to be over."</p>
      <p>She stared up at him and shook her head. "Nothing happened between us, Harry. I love you too and the last thing I want is for us to be over, but after I tell you this, that will be your call to make."</p>
      <p>His brow furrowed, but he didn't let go of his hold on her hands. "Hermione-"</p>
      <p>She squeezed his hands and shook her head again, pleading with him as she held his gaze. "Just let me say what I have to say and then you can talk, okay?"</p>
      <p>He studied her for a moment before giving a stiff nod. She drew in a deep, shaky breath, and then told him the real reason things were awkward around her, his father, and his godfather.</p>
      <p>She didn't go into full detail; no one needed to know exactly what they had done that night or how many times they had done them. She kept it simple. That they had crossed paths one night in a bar a few years ago. That she had joined their game of pool and when asked to join them at home too, she accepted. That she had left the next morning without leaving her last name, her number, or a note. That it was only supposed to be a one-time thing with strangers she was never supposed to see again.</p>
      <p>She did not tell him about the recent incidents with James or Sirius since meeting them again. That issue had been laid to rest regardless of Harry's decision now that he knew the truth.</p>
      <p>His hold had loosened somewhat on her hands between them, but he hadn't fully let go, something Hermione clung to as a sign of hope. "So that's why the interactions between you three felt off at Remus' house," he said after a long bout of silence.</p>
      <p>She nodded.</p>
      <p>He paled and she saw the apple of his throat bob. "So when my father asked if he could take you to lunch-"</p>
      <p>"It was just lunch," she assured him, feeling slightly guilty for only telling a half truth. "He wanted to get to know me better for your sake and to assure me that he didn't want that night to get in the way of us."</p>
      <p>"And nothing else happened?" he asked, his eyes searching hers skeptically.</p>
      <p>Her fingers twitched where they were twined with his and she swallowed hard. With a small shake of her head, Hermione decided there was no reason to not be fully honest. "We kissed," she breathed, bracing herself for his reaction. "It was a mistake and he left right away."</p>
      <p>His grip loosened even more and she could have sworn he started to tug his hands away, but ultimately he left them with hers for the moment. "Anything else I should know about?" he asked, his voice tight.</p>
      <p>The words rushed forth before her nerves got the best of her. She told him that she hadn't left to come home; at least not right away. She told him of her detour and the words that had been exchanged between the three. She even told him about her kiss with Sirius and wasn't surprised when he finally pulled away from her. Her hands hung limply in her lap as he took to pacing; his hands making more of a mess out of his hair by constantly pulling at his raven locks.</p>
      <p>Quite a bit of time passed before he finally stopped pacing and simply stared off into space with his hand on his chin, his other arm folded under to hold us his elbow. The silence was only flaming her nerves as they gnawed at her insides and threatened to tear her apart. It was only a small miracle that she wasn't crying as she often did when any emotion got out of control.</p>
      <p>"I'll understand if you want to end things with me," she whispered, though in the silence, the words were deafening. "I know this might not be something we can get past."</p>
      <p>He gave a curt nod, but slowly moved his gaze to hers. "If you and I weren't together; if I had brought you Remus' house as just a friend, would you have taken them up on their offers?"</p>
      <p>Hermione swallowed and gave a meager shrug. "That night was the only time I'd ever done something like that, Harry. I've never just…jumped into bed with one person let alone two and I never intended to do it again."</p>
      <p>"But you want to."</p>
      <p>Shame flamed her face as her thighs clamped together from where she sat on the couch. It was a small movement, but she could tell by the flicker of his eyes and the way his jaw clenched that he had seen it.</p>
      <p>"Why tell me now?" he asked. "Is it because they made it clear they still want you? That you're afraid they might tell me first?"</p>
      <p>She shook her head adamantly. "The moment I opened that bathroom door and saw them standing there, I knew I had to tell you. I never planned on keeping it from you, I just didn't know how to broach the topic. This really isn't a conversation topic for a normal couple."</p>
      <p>He snorted and his lips twitched. "You can say that again," he muttered as he raked a hand through his hair again.</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry, Harry," she whispered, her tears finally making an appearance as they tracked down her cheeks.</p>
      <p>She was surprised by the dip of the cushion next to her and the way he took her hands back in his. "I'm not holding it against you for that first night, Hermione. We didn't even know each other and what you did and who you chose to do it with before me is your prerogative." His lips curved up into a sweet smile and she bit her lip as she waited for the other shoe to drop. "But you should have told me sooner. It wasn't like they were college friends I see everyone once in a blue moon, Hermione, it's my <em>father </em>and <em>godfather</em>."</p>
      <p>"I know," she breathed, her body trembling.</p>
      <p>"I love you," he said, reaching up with one hand to cup her face, his thumb brushing away some tears. "And I know that you love me, but I think I'm gonna need some time to process this."</p>
      <p>If time and space were what he needed to not break things off with her, Hermione would give it to him. "Take all the time you need," she urged. "Whatever you decide, I'll go along with. I'll understand either way."</p>
      <p>He drew her into his lap and kissed her so slow and so sweet she thought she might melt. And even after he moved his lips from hers to simply hold her, Hermione knew he was the one. She desperately wanted to beg, plead, and cry to get him to stay, but they would never work if he didn't have the time to sort out his own feelings. So she took what he gave her in that moment and just sat with him until he slid her off his lap, gave her one last kiss goodbye, and left her flat.</p>
      <p>Days, weeks, months, <em>years</em>; Hermione would wait however long it took him to make his decision. She just hoped, for her own sanity, it wasn't forever.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Hermione thanked every god she could think of when, after two very long weeks, it seemed that her luck had turned. She received a text from Harry earlier that week asking if she could come over for dinner on Friday after work and that he was ready to talk. She took it as a good sign that he wanted to have dinner, for she imagined if it was just to break things off, he wouldn't be bothered. Even if he was one of the nicest men she had ever dated, even he wouldn't put either of them through that.</p>
      <p>She rushed home after work the day of and took a shower. She spent a little more time than usual making sure she looked as put together as possible. She put on her red halter dress where the skirt kissed the center of her thighs in the front and flowed past her knees in the back. It was Harry's favorite; a card she was not afraid to pull. With one last pep talk to herself in the mirror, Hermione locked up her flat and made her way to Harry's.</p>
      <p>Her good mood was short lived, however, as the person to answer her knock was a Potter of the older variety. Though the way his face fell at the sight of her meant he was just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. Confusion and anxiety roiled together in her belly and made her take a step back, but just as she considered turning and leaving without a word, Harry appeared in the doorway.</p>
      <p>He beamed at her and extended a hand to her. "Glad you could make it," he said, pulling her across the threshold. He continued to hold her hand as he led her into the living room.</p>
      <p>Either her shock had worn off or her mind had already assumed he would be there too, but she didn't react when she saw Sirius perched on the arm of the couch, a tumbler of amber liquid in his hand. His eyes widened as his hand paused from raising that glass to his lips. Amusement danced in his gaze as he took in the sight of her. "Well this should be an interesting."</p>
      <p>"Harry…" she breathed, her voice higher than she would have liked. "What are we all doing here? I thought you wanted to talk."</p>
      <p>"I do," he replied, looking around at his three guests. "I want to talk to all of you and I figured inviting you all over for dinner would save me from having to repeat myself." A ding sounded from the kitchen and he pressed his lips to her cheek. "Dinner's just about ready. Sirius, pour her a drink, will you?" he said before dashing off.</p>
      <p>Too stunned to move, she watched as Sirius got to his feet and made his way toward the drink cart. She nodded when he handed it to her and raised his own glass in a mock salute. "Drink up, Kitten."</p>
      <p>Holding his gaze, she tossed the entirety of the contents down her throat in one go. "Careful, love," James said, his voice low from his spot behind her. She watched as he stepped around to face her, his hands coming up to take the empty glass from her hand. "I'd pace myself if I was you."</p>
      <p><em>Just what have you got planned for tonight, Harry</em>? she thought as he called for them to come and take their seats. Whatever it was, it was sure to be a long, strange night for everyone.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
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        <strong>SIX</strong>
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      <p>It was by far the strangest meal Hermione had ever been present for. Harry's mood was the complete opposite of his guests and Hermione was torn on what to make of it all. But it was hard to keep her eyes on her plate when Harry kept directing the conversation towards her. He asked her how work had been in the two weeks since they'd spoken as well as how she had been fairing. Her answers were short, but if he was looking for lengthy conversation, he didn't seem bothered.</p>
      <p>James was just as quiet as she was, if not more so. He simply kept his gaze flickering between her and his son, trying to figure out what it was that Harry was after. Sirius, on the other hand, was quite chatty. He and Harry had many a good laugh and had no problem filling in the lulls of conversation by telling story after story.</p>
      <p>Finished eating, though more than half of Hermione's plate was still full in part to her nerves, Harry began to clean up. She jumped to her feet and helped him despite his protests to join James and Sirius in the living room. When it was just the two of them in the kitchen, Hermione set the items in the sink and turned to face Harry with a look of apprehension.</p>
      <p>"Will you please clue me on as to why we're all here?" she asked.</p>
      <p>He smiled; something that always seemed to make her melt, and reached for her hands. Her heart skipped a beat as he pulled her to him and brought her hands up to his mouth, his lips brushing across her knuckles. "Do you trust me?"</p>
      <p>"Of course."</p>
      <p>"Then know that I have my reasons," he said, giving her hands a light squeeze. "I'll tell you soon."</p>
      <p>"Harry-"</p>
      <p>He dropped her hands in favor of moving his to her face. Hers fell onto his chest and she gasped as he leaned in and laid his lips over hers. Her entire body sizzled with the need for more as she realized just how much she had missed him over their two week break. If he was going to end things, she wanted him to do it sooner, rather than later.</p>
      <p>It took her a moment to realize that they were moving and when her back hit the counter, her lips parted with a gasp and his tongue slipped into her mouth to caress hers. Her fingers clutched at his shirt in effort to draw him closer. She could feel his arousal prodding at her from between their layers of clothing and she flexed her hips as a soft moan slipped from her mouth to his.</p>
      <p>But just as she was ready to throw caution to the wind and start to undo the buttons of his shirt, he pulled away. She swallowed hard and buried her face against his chest as he rested his chin atop her head. "I love you," he whispered, the sound of those words causing her to whimper and tighten her hold on him. "I just wanted to see how everyone reacted while in the same room. I needed to see if it was something I could handle."</p>
      <p>"And?" she asked, holding her breath in anticipation of his answer.</p>
      <p>"There's some things I'd like to discuss with all of you," he said after a moment, pulling out of her grasp. He stroked her cheek with his knuckle as he smiled at her. "Let me finish up in here and I'll come join you in a second."</p>
      <p>She nodded, but took her time in stepping away from him. She went to the hall bathroom to compose herself before making way towards the living room. James and Sirius both looked up at her as she entered the space; one with amusement still sparkling in his eyes and the other with concern for her well-being. She gave them both a half nod and wet her kiss-swollen lips; realizing only too late that it was a bad idea. Both sets of eyes tracked the movement and she dropped her gaze to the floor to hide her blush as she scrambled to find a seat as far away from them as she could.</p>
      <p>"Must have learned his cooking skills from Lily," Sirius said the moment she sat. She looked up to see him tipping his glass to James. "You burn everything you touch."</p>
      <p>"I do not," James replied, taking a long sip of his drink.</p>
      <p>Sirius turned his gaze to her as he chuckled. "Harry ever tell you how this one nearly burned the place down making toast?"</p>
      <p>"No," she breathed, the corners of her lips twitching as James rubbed the space between his eyes.</p>
      <p>Sirius shot her a wicked grin as James muttered something under his breath. As his lips parted to presumably tell her the story, Harry entered the space and rendered him silent. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze before taking his place beside her. "I'm glad everyone's getting along." His hand sought hers and he twined their fingers together as he snickered to himself. "Though I suppose getting along wasn't the issue."</p>
      <p>"Ah," Sirius said, smacking his lips after tossing back the rest of his drink. "I suppose we've arrived at the main event for the evening then."</p>
      <p>Harry gave a nod and Hermione's gaze swept around the room before falling to their joined hands and staying there. "I told Hermione I needed to see how everyone reacted now that we all know the truth. And she didn't just tell me about that night some years ago; she told me everything else too."</p>
      <p>Sirius and James had enough courtesy to look shameful and apologetic. "I'm sorry, Harry," James said, his tone bringing Hermione's attention to him. His gaze flickered to her for a moment and then back to Harry at her side. "I really did want to have lunch with her and put it all behind us, but I made a mistake. One that I won't make again."</p>
      <p>Sirius' words were less heartfelt, but at least they were honest. "She made her choice, Harry, and out of respect for everyone here, we'll leave her to it."</p>
      <p>"Which brings me to the other reason I wanted you all here." His thumb grazed over her knuckles and she found herself going mad with anticipation. "I love her and I plan on being with her for as long as she'll have me, but I don't want any lingering what-ifs to get in the way of our future."</p>
      <p>Hermione craned her neck to shoot him a confused look. He continued to smile at her and caress the back of his hand as if it were a perfectly natural conversation to be having. She gave a small shake of her head and wet her lips. "Harry, there aren't any what-ifs," she stated, ignoring the puff of air that came from Sirius' direction. "At least not on my end."</p>
      <p>His head tipped to the side and his gaze never wavered. "That wasn't the impression I got last we spoke." The curve to his lips became a knowing smile as the same heat that had risen to her cheeks then came rushing up to her face now. If there was ever a moment where she had wondered where death might be preferable to embarrassment, well, this was that moment. And as she felt two other pairs of eyes land on her, she forgot how to breathe and wondered how long it would be before she was put out of her misery.</p>
      <p>"What exactly are you getting at, Kid?"</p>
      <p>The air felt like fire and ice mixed together when she inhaled the moment Harry looked over at Sirius. With the weight of his gaze off of her, she was finally able to breathe, though her body began to tremble something fierce.</p>
      <p>"As I said, I want to be with her, but the tension between the three of you isn't likely to go away anytime soon. I think it might be best if you just got it out of your system for a night so we can really put it behind us."</p>
      <p>Hermione yanked her hand from his and stood up so fast she wobbled on her feet. "Harry James Potter!" she snapped, hands on her hips. "That is by far the <em>worst </em>thing I've ever heard in my entire life."</p>
      <p>He took his time getting to his feet and she flinched away from him when he reached for her. "So you don't want them? You didn't lie in bed next to <em>me</em> the night after you had lunch with my father and cry out his name while you got yourself off?"</p>
      <p><em>Sweet mother of mercy, please kill me right now</em>. She went completely still as her arms fell limp at her sides. "You were awake?"</p>
      <p>His nod was slow and she thought her knees were ready to give out on her. "I thought maybe you were dreaming and I was never going to berate you for that, but when you told me the truth, I was able to put two and two together."</p>
      <p>She fell back onto the cushion she had just vacated and put her head in her hands. Hermione continued to hide behind her hands, fully committed to the belief that if she couldn't see them, they couldn't see her. Logic be damned at this point. Even James' voice wasn't enough to make her look up.</p>
      <p>"She's right, Harry. If you can't trust any of us to keep the past in the past, then you should walk away. Having it happen again will only make it worse."</p>
      <p>"Hang on."</p>
      <p>Hermione's head did shoot up at the sound of Sirius' voice and she glared at him; her mortification taking a temporary backseat to her anger.</p>
      <p>He held up a hand to her in the hopes of avoiding a verbal tongue lashing. "Just so we're clear, you're wanting us to share her again?" His brows shot up as he chuckled to himself. "And we thought our generation was perverse."</p>
      <p>James shot him a look and pinched the bridge of his nose, refusing to comment.</p>
      <p>"This cannot happening," Hermione said, her voice harsh as she pushed herself to her feet again. "Your father's right. If you can't get past this, I'll understand, but tell me now so I can move on please."</p>
      <p>When he didn't say anything right away, she gave him a sharp nod and made her way out of the living room. Just as she reached the front door, Harry was there, taking her hand and turning her to face him. "I love you."</p>
      <p>"If you did, you wouldn't want me to sleep with either of them, Harry."</p>
      <p>"It's because I love you that I want you to be happy."</p>
      <p>She scoffed and shook her head at him. "I <em>am </em>happy, Harry. With you." She blinked at the tears that were threatening to form. "Things are going to be awkward for a very long time, but replicating something from two years ago isn't going to help. It was only one time then and look what it's causing now."</p>
      <p>"Yes, but I wasn't there that time. This time I will be."</p>
      <p>She recoiled from him so fast she yelped from having bounced off the front door. Her hands flew back to scrape at the wall to keep from falling. "What?"</p>
      <p>"If you decide you want to go through with it, I'm going to be there to watch."</p>
      <p>She simply gaped at him until she could hear her mother's voice in her head telling her the flies were sure to get in if she left her mouth open any longer. "How is that <em>any</em> better?"</p>
      <p>"You have your kinks, I have mine."</p>
      <p>She swallowed hard, not completely sure what to say to that. "Harry…"</p>
      <p>His smile set off another round of trembling, something that didn't stop when he reached up to cup her face. "You don't have to give me an answer until you're a hundred percent sure it's what you want."</p>
      <p>She whined at the way his thumb slid over her bottom lip. "What makes you so sure they'll agree?" she heard herself asking.</p>
      <p>"I'm not an idiot, Hermione. I've seen the way they look at you." He moved his hand away from her face and held it out for her to take. "But if you need conformation, let's go ask them."</p>
      <p>It was as if someone else was in control of her body. She didn't even know she had taken his hand until they were moving down the hallway. Both Sirius and James were on their feet in the living room and both turned a surprise look at the two of them when they re-entered the space. Hermione saw Harry's lips moving, but couldn't hear much over the rush of her blood in her ears.</p>
      <p>Sirius' brow cocked sky high as he tipped his chin forward, his eyes blazing with amusement as he looked at her. "I'll be the first to admit I've had no qualms about this plan from the get-go." He gave a nod to Harry as well. "Maybe you'll learn a thing or two."</p>
      <p>Harry gave a wry smile and turned his attention to James. Hermione swallowed hard under the weight of his gaze, his eyes searching hers for the truth. "Is this what you want?"</p>
      <p>She hadn't made up her mind yet, but giving him an answer would make it seem like she had. But still, she found herself nodding and whispering a barely audible affirmative that had James' eyes darkening slightly.</p>
      <p>"See?" Harry's voice pulled her attention back towards him, his hand giving her a squeeze. She hadn't even realized her hand was still in his until then. "Told you they'd be on board."</p>
      <p>"I should go," she mumbled, pulling her hand from his grasp.</p>
      <p>"I'll walk you out," he said, following her out of the room once again. They were silent as she gathered her purse from the entry way and as they made the short trip to her car parked along the street. Before she could open her door, Harry was tipping her face up by gently pressing two fingers beneath her chin. "Even if it's a no, just promise you'll tell me."</p>
      <p>She gave a quick nod and closed her eyes as he leaned in and lowered his lips over hers. His kiss was enough to make her heart melt and her head spin with confusion. At first, she thought the decision would be easy, that it was asinine for him to even propose it, but now… Now she had to decide if her love for Harry was strong enough to weather this storm her past self had weathered or if she wanted to walk away forever wondering what if. Which she knew was ironic due to the nature of the proposition.</p>
      <p>After promising to call when she got home so he didn't worry, Hermione drove away with a life-altering decision to make and all the time in the world to make it.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
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        <strong>SEVEN</strong>
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      <p>Every time Hermione thought she had made up her mind, she found ten new reasons to change it. The decision occupied her every waking hour. And she suspected it took over her dreams too since what little sleep she did seem to get was rocky at best. But after nearly three weeks of the inability to make a decision started affected her in all aspects of her life, Hermione forced herself to make one. Once she admitted it to herself, her mind relaxed and accepted it as a final answer.</p>
      <p>For three weeks she had lived as though Harry was no longer part of her life. Five, if she counted the two weeks prior, and she had had enough. She loved him. She wanted him. She had told him the truth of what happened with James and Sirius and instead of losing his mind and telling her to get lost or go fuck herself, he was giving her what she needed. A need she had been too scared to admit to existed.</p>
      <p>And now that she'd had a taste of what her life would be like without any of them in it, she decided it was a life she didn't want.</p>
      <p>To keep her from going back on her own decision, Hermione called Harry and told him she was ready to talk. Not wanting to drag it out, she invited him over that very night. And the moment he was in her apartment, she flung herself at him, longing for his embrace. She had intended on telling him straight away instead of beating around the bush, but their embrace had led to a kiss, one that quickly went from greeting to needy in no time at all.</p>
      <p>It was while they curled up against one another in the after glow, tangled in her sheets, that she brought it up. "You're sure this is the only way you'll forgive me?"</p>
      <p>"There's nothing to forgive, Hermione," he said, his fingertips brushing over the bare skin of hip. "That's not why I suggested this, but can you honestly tell me that you'd be able to avoid them forever? You couldn't even go a few weeks without slipping up with my father." He held her tighter when she buried her head against his chest. "I'd rather have it be like this than one mistake lead to another and have you cheat on me."</p>
      <p>She wanted to tell him that she would never, but it would have been a lie. She would never do it on purpose, but she remembered her last kiss with James. If they continued as they were, she was bound to slip up. She hated that about herself, but it was a fact.</p>
      <p>"Tell me what you're thinking, Hermione."</p>
      <p>She rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, turning her head to the side to look at him. His hand stroked her back, tugging gently at her hair from time to time in a way that made her ache for another round. "I know the relationship you have with them isn't perfect as it is. I don't want to be the reason it falls apart if it turns out this was a bad idea."</p>
      <p>He leaned in and kissed her shoulder. "That's our cross to bear, Hermione, not yours."</p>
      <p>"Harry-"</p>
      <p>"I mean it," he interrupted, his hand smoothing down over the globes of her rear. She shivered as his fingers dipped into the crevice of her thighs and parted her nether lips from behind. "Whatever happens will never be because of you. I gave you a choice and I know exactly what it was that I was asking the three of you." His lips curved into a smirk as she drew her lip between her teeth when he pressed a finger into her core. "How often have you thought about them since that night?" he asked, his voice low.</p>
      <p>Her hands flattened to grip at the sheet beneath her. "Not that often," she rasped.</p>
      <p>He stopped moving his hand and Hermione shot him a look. "If you want to come again, you're going to have to tell me the truth," he said, a grin spreading over his face.</p>
      <p>"I did," she whined. "It wasn't that often, I swear."</p>
      <p>He studied her for a moment before adding another finger and resuming his earlier motion of plunging in and out of her. "What else did you do that night that you wouldn't normally do?"</p>
      <p>"Harry-"</p>
      <p>"Did they take you at the same time? Or did they just pass you back and forth?" His thrusts went deeper than she was used to and she keened as her release built rather quickly. "Did they taste that pretty little cunt of yours and make you come on their tongues?"</p>
      <p>"<em>Harry</em>!" His name came rolling off her tongue in a half moan, half whine as his words brought her right to the edge. He was never like this, but there was something about it that was working far too well for her to even feel ashamed about it. In fact, she found herself wanting more.</p>
      <p>She whined in protest when he removed his hand in favor of moving into position behind her. She hissed into the sheets with pleasure as he entered her from behind and leaned over her so his lips brushed her ear, his hand wrapping around her neck as he thrust deep within her. "I want to see what they do to you; how they make you scream for them," he rasped, nipping at her lobe from time to time. "And just when you think you're done, when you're on the verge of <em>begging</em> for it to be over, I'll be right there to make you come one last time."</p>
      <p>She came with a choking sob and chanted his name like a mantra. She didn't stop until he collapsed on top of her back, his cock having shrunk and slipped out of her. Too weak to move, she simply laid there, feeling their combined release slipping out of her and wet her thighs as well as the sheets.</p>
      <p>It was much later in the evening, when it was clear that he had no intention of leaving and curled up behind her to spoon her, that she realized she hadn't actually told him her decision. He simply smiled when she voiced them and pressed a kiss to the spot between her shoulder blades. "I'll make the arrangements," he whispered.</p>
      <p>Hermione could only nod as she closed her eyes. Strangely enough, now that it was happening, sleep had never come so fast or lasted so long and when she woke, her face hurt from having smiled throughout the night.</p>
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      <p>Hermione took the upcoming long weekend as a sign that she had made the right decision. She wasn't surprised when Harry had come over a few days later to tell her that that was the weekend that would work for all of them. He had asked if they should get a hotel or if she was comfortable using one of their homes and assured her that they understood whatever she chose.</p>
      <p>Knowing it would be easier to not have this upcoming night associated with anything in her day to day life, Hermione opted for a hotel. So Harry made the arrangements to reserve two adjoining rooms, that way she had a space to retreat to if she needed it. And after seeing the apprehension and worry in her eyes, he assured her that he would be getting a nice hotel, not one that would make her feel like a whore; her words, not his. Not that there wasn't a small part of her that wasn't afraid to call a spade a spade.</p>
      <p>The only thing she really insisted on was that they take her to get a drink first. Somewhere outside the hotel room so that she could warm up to them instead of just jumping straight into it. Harry smiled and tucked her curls behind her ear saying they already had something in mind. After reiterating the fact that she was free to back out at any time, all she had to do was speak up, Harry took his leave. The next time she saw him would be when he picked up her for the night they'd just planned.</p>
      <p>For her own preparations, Hermione had done a few things in the realm of vanity and maintenance that she wouldn't normally do. She suffered through a Brazilian wax and vowed never to endure that again, though it didn't stop her from having her legs waxed too. She spent time watching tutorials on hair and makeup and even went on a small shopping spree for more than a few choices of lingerie. Knowing she couldn't wear them all, she intended to save the rest for Harry's eyes only in the future.</p>
      <p>And when the day finally arrived, Hermione spent far too much time applying her makeup, making it sultry without being slutty and adjusting her hair too many times to count before she settled on just getting it out of her face, save for the few wisps that refused to be tamed. The part that took the longest was her outfit, though in the end, she decided it didn't matter seeing as how it wouldn't be on long anyway.</p>
      <p>She only had a few minutes to stare at herself in the mirror and question herself a few more times before Harry was due to arrive. She pulled at the hem of her dark grey sweater dress, wondering if under different lighting, the matching royal blue bra and panty set with scrolling black lace would be visible. She even turned and smoothed out the fabric to make sure the lines from the matching garter belt attached to her sheer black thigh highs weren't easy to spot.</p>
      <p>Harry arrived before she could change her mind or her outfit. And as he came to stand behind her at the mirror, the approval in his eyes matched the one pressing into her back and it left her feeling a tad more confident.</p>
      <p>The final touch was the new perfume she had picked up for tonight; one that she never planned on wearing again so she could forever associate the scent with what was to come. It was warm and sweet and had natural pheromone enhancers. She had wondered if it would be overkill, but seeing the way Harry reacted to it only added to her confidence again and gave her a rush of feminine power she had never encountered before.</p>
      <p>She was relieved when he kept the conversation normal as he drove them to their destination. She already knew Sirius and James were going to meet them wherever it was they were headed, so it gave her a chance to take a few deep breaths before the night really began. He even held her hand in his lap as he drove, something she clung to for comfort.</p>
      <p>When he parked his truck, Hermione smirked at the pool hall in front of her. She didn't even have to ask whose idea it was to know that Sirius had chosen this place. It wasn't the same one from that night, but the nostalgia was there all the same.</p>
      <p>"Can I ask you something before we head in?"</p>
      <p>"Of course."</p>
      <p>"Wanting to watch," she started, swallowing around the lump of nerves in her throat. "Is that just because of them or is that something you've always wanted to do?"</p>
      <p>"I've always had voyeuristic tendencies," he replied after a moment. "You can chalk that up to Sirius and his lack of caring when it came to bringing his pick of the week home." He gave a small shrug. "But I've always wanted to know if there was a difference in watching while trying not to get caught versus watching and having the others know."</p>
      <p>Hermione nodded and stared out the windshield at the building. Through one of the windows, she could see Sirius and James already playing a game of pool in the far corner. "What if-"</p>
      <p>"We'll deal with it," he interrupted. "Whatever scenario comes our way after tonight, we'll figure it out." He reached for her hand again. "If this ends up being a big mistake, I'll take the blame and let you say you told me so as many times as you want."</p>
      <p>She squeezed his hand tight and gave him a smile. "I love you. No matter what happens, please don't forget that, Harry."</p>
      <p>"I love you too," he said, meeting her halfway between the seats to kiss her in a way she was sure smeared her lipstick.</p>
      <p>When she pulled away, she flipped down the visor mirror and touched up her makeup. By the time she was done, Harry was there to open her door and help her to her feet. With her hand firmly twined with his, they exchanged a nod and made their way inside.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>EIGHT</strong>
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      <p>Sirius and James were in the middle of a game. James was sizing up the table, trying to figure out his next move while Sirius lounged on a bar stool off to the side. He tipped his bottle in their direction as they approached and his dark eyes raked over her in approval. James did a double take when he saw them and stood up straight, his eyes glued to her. Hermione swallowed and bore down on Harry's hand, completely unused to having this much attention on her. Especially in this context.</p>
      <p>"Mione?"</p>
      <p>She hummed and turned her head to look at Harry. A light wash of heat stole across her face as she realized it wasn't the first time he had said her name.</p>
      <p>"I'm going to get us a drink. Do you want something to eat?"</p>
      <p>A shiver ran down her spine at the idea of being alone with the other two men, but she nodded. She knew why they were here; what the night would lead to. Harry wasn't going to be her safety net. It would completely defeat the purpose. So trusting that he knew what he was doing, she let go of his hand and watched him slip away.</p>
      <p>The sound of the pool balls smacking together made her jump and her attention turned to Sirius as he chuckled around the rim of his bottle. He set it down on the little table and sauntered over to her, standing so close they were almost touching as he applied the chalk to the tip of his cue. "I must say I'm surprised to see you, Kitten."</p>
      <p>"You didn't think I would come?"</p>
      <p>His grin made her blush. "Oh I know you will." He gave her a wink and then stepped back to figure out his move for the game. "I just thought it might take more convincing."</p>
      <p>Hermione moved closer to the seat he had vacated and found James leaning back against the wall. He was nursing his own longneck as he watched her approach. "What is it this time?" he asked, his question making her pause. He grinned and gestured towards her bag. "Last time it was some textbook with things I'll never be able to pronounce."</p>
      <p>"Oh," she said, a bit of laughter puffing past her lips. It was just a clutch she carried when she didn't want to bring her briefcase she called a purse. "Nothing fits in this thing." She paused and canted her head to the side, a smile curving her lips. "I can't believe you remembered."</p>
      <p>"Who else brings a book to a bar?" he asked, a gentle teasing in his tone. "Even if you hadn't joined us, I would have always remembered that."</p>
      <p>A thought crossed her mind and made her smile falter, something James picked up on immediately.</p>
      <p>"What's wrong?"</p>
      <p>She shook her head and averted her gaze, but he was having none of that. He stepped forward and with a soft touch, tipped her face up towards him. "It's nothing," she breathed.</p>
      <p>"Hermione, if you can't communicate with us, then-"</p>
      <p>"I was thinking how Harry must have gotten his romantic side from you," she blurted, watching as the words sank in and he turned a bright shade of red. "He says stuff like that all the time too," she added with a whisper.</p>
      <p>James cleared his throat as his hand slowly fell back into place at his side. "Oh."</p>
      <p>No longer willing to wait for Harry, she plucked the bottle from James' hand and chugged the rest of it down. She winced at the taste; beer being her least favorite thing on the planet, but it was better than nothing. Especially after she was caught comparing father and son. James watched her with amusement as she took a deep breath when finished. She tried to catch a stray dribble from the corner of her mouth with her tongue, but she missed. She reached up to wipe it away, but James was faster, his hand rising back up so his thumb could catch the liquid. Instead of wiping it away, he rubbed it over her lips and waited. Her tongue darted out to clean it away, brushing over his digit in the process.</p>
      <p>She jumped slightly as someone pressed up against her from behind, their breath warming her skin. The action caused James' thumb to slip between her lips and she dropped her jaw enough to let it slide between her teeth too. "Careful, Kitten," Sirius whispered against her ear. "Keep that up and we won't be making it to that hotel room." He nipped at her lobe at the same time James stepped back, withdrawing his touch. "You're up," he said to James as he squeezed her ass once before returning to his seat and his beer.</p>
      <p>It was that moment Harry returned with a drink in each hand. He handed one to her and dropped a kiss to her cheek before settling into the other chair on the opposite side of the table. She could tell from the way his eyes flickered over the three of them that he had seen the entire encounter. And when she moved closer to him, she could see evidence elsewhere as well.</p>
      <p>"When this game's over, what do you say we join up against them?" Harry asked.</p>
      <p>Hermione snorted as she used her tongue to guide the straw of her drink into her mouth, an action that didn't go unnoticed by either of them. "You know I'm terrible at this game," she said after a drink. "Why on earth would you volunteer to be my partner at it?"</p>
      <p>"As I recall, you bested James once or twice last we played," Sirius said, finishing his beer.</p>
      <p>"Beginners luck," she replied. "I assure you, I won't be that lucky tonight."</p>
      <p>"I beg to differ," he fired back, a wicked gleam in his eye. "Though I imagine you'll do most of the actual begging."</p>
      <p>Torture. Pure delicious torture is what Hermione would describe that moment as. Sirius didn't seem to have a care in the world that Harry was sitting right there, able to hear everything he said to her. But Harry simply tipped his beer in their direction and then sipped it slowly, watching for her reaction. He only smirked as she her entire body flushed.</p>
      <p>"Have we decided teams?" James asked, oblivious to the exchange that had just occurred.</p>
      <p>Harry grinned. "Why, did you lose already?"</p>
      <p>Needing to refocus, Hermione snapped out of the strange headspace Sirius had put her in and linked her arm through James'. He stared down at their arms and then at her with a quirked brow. "These two seem to think they know their way around a pool table."</p>
      <p>"We know our way around quite a bit," Sirius said, getting to his feet. "Harry, would you rack up please? They can break."</p>
      <p>"We're toast," James said.</p>
      <p>"Speaking of, I would like to hear that story sometime," she said, sucking down a fair bit of her drink. She would pace herself after that sip, but she just wanted to feel that initial buzz as quick as possible.</p>
      <p>"Maybe someday," he said with a faint smile. He leaned a fraction closer to her and inhaled deeply. Her mouth went dry as his pupils blew wide when he wet his lips. "You smell good enough to eat, love," he murmured.</p>
      <p>Her whine was faint, but audible as she shivered, the verbal praise doing something to her mind as it dampened her knickers. He removed her arm from his and set her drink on the table for her when her hand trembled.</p>
      <p>"Who's breaking?" Harry asked.</p>
      <p>Hermione took the cue stick James offered her, his fingers lingering on hers before he pulled away. "Hermione will break us in, won't you, love?"</p>
      <p>"We're still going to lose," she muttered.</p>
      <p>"A small price to pay."</p>
      <p>Her brow arched as she applied the chalk. "For what?"</p>
      <p>"For getting you to bend over the table all night," Sirius answered.</p>
      <p>Out of habit she sought Harry's gaze and he simply smiled and gave a small shrug. "I won't object to that."</p>
      <p>Hermione cleared her throat, clutched the cue stick, and closed her eyes. Heaven help her, she was in for a long night if this was how it started. But even as she shook her head and moved into position to start a new game, she couldn't help but smile as her body began to relax. She allowed herself to think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad and for the first time ever, she actually made something drop into one of the pockets of the table upon the break.</p>
      <p>She couldn't help but laugh as Harry pulled the eight ball from the corner pocket. "I think that's a new record."</p>
      <p>"Can I try again?"</p>
      <p>All three nodded and she waited while Harry re-racked everything. This time, when she broke, something other than the eight ball landed and as she lined herself up to take the next shot, she made sure to lean over a tad more than she needed to, enjoying the three pairs of eyes that watched her with unrestrained desire.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Hermione only made it through two games before calling it quits. After a short lived second round where she sank the eight ball <em>again</em> on her third attempt at a different ball, she decided to give her back a rest. So she perched in the chair at the table and sipped at her drink while picking at the food the waitress had finally brought over. She had downed the first half rather quickly, but the second lasted until it was more watered down than anything else. Either way, she wasn't planning on ordering another one. The last thing she wanted to do was get too intoxicated. She wanted to relax her nerves, not addle her mind into a strange state she couldn't come back from.</p>
      <p>Leaving them to their game, she slipped through the crowd in search of the bathroom. She sighed as she relieved herself and was only partly surprised to discover just how wet she had truly been prior to squatting down. She was sure that the relief of being dry again wasn't going to last long once she returned to them. There was something that made her feel empowered to have that sort of attention from them all night.</p>
      <p>When she went back, Harry was standing off to the side, his cue laid up against the table. He reached for her, pulling her close. Before she could say or do anything else, his hand was cupping her face and his lips were slanting over hers. Her hand wound around his neck out of habit and she clung to him as he did what he did best and made her melt into him.</p>
      <p>A small gasp left her lips when he angled her towards the wall and pressed his knee between her thighs. Not only did her skirt ride up, exposing the straps to the garter belt, but she moaned into his mouth as her core slid over his pant leg. "We're going to leave soon," he breathed as he pulled back to rest his forehead against hers.</p>
      <p>"Okay."</p>
      <p>His cock twitched in his trousers and she felt it against her leg. "We're really doing this," he murmured as his hands roamed over her.</p>
      <p>"You're sure?"</p>
      <p>He nudged his jean clad cock further up her leg as if to prove a point. "I'm sure," he breathed, pulling away slightly. She then ducked her head, but he was quick to lift it back up. "Please don't be shy, Hermione. I know you're braver than you let on. Let us see that side of you tonight."</p>
      <p>She gave a brief nod and smiled up at him. "Because I love you."</p>
      <p>"I love you too."</p>
      <p>"If you lovebirds are done, we can go," Sirius said, grinning at the two of them. Hermione looked around for James and found him at the counter, presumably closing out their tab.</p>
      <p>Hermione nodded at inhaled slowly. "I'm ready."</p>
      <p>Harry took her hand in his and led her out with Sirius in tow. Once they were outside and away from the eyes of strangers, Sirius wasted no time in taking her from Harry's side and pinning her against the truck. He swallowed her gasp as his tongue sought hers for a dance of erotic proportions that opened the floodgates of her nether lips. One hand stole into her curls to keep her head anchored to his while the other palmed her breast, his thumb tweaking at her nipple through the fabric of her clothes.</p>
      <p>Lost in the promise he made with his tongue, she didn't realize his other hand had traveled further south until his fingers skimmed over the dampened fabric of her knickers. She jumped slightly in surprise and tossed her head back. Sirius took the opportunity to move his lips to her neck as his fingers curled around the side of her knickers and slipped through her folds. Her moan was loud and as he pressed two fingers into her, her eyes fluttered open and landed on Harry.</p>
      <p>His eyes were dark with a hunger she'd never quite seen on him before. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes flickering between what Sirius was doing to her and watching her reaction to it. She moaned again and squeezed her eyes shut as her body bowed, her hips moving wildly as her release drew nearer. And just as she felt herself falling into that void of decadence, Sirius slowed to a stop and withdrew his touch.</p>
      <p>Her eyes popped open as she whined, her mind vaguely aware that James had joined them at some point. He was watching with the same fascination on his face as Harry; the comparison making her freshly vacated channel spasm harder with the need for release. Sirius brought his fingers to her mouth and she parted her lips immediately, moaning at the taste of herself as he slid his fingers along her tongue.</p>
      <p>"Now that we're all on equal ground," he said, pulling away from her completely. "We'll see you at the hotel, Kitten." He winked and strode away, wiping his hand on his jeans as he went.</p>
      <p>James smirked as he followed Sirius to their own vehicle and Harry held the passenger door open for her. "I nearly came just watching that," he muttered as he helped her into her seat.</p>
      <p>"Don't talk about coming," she groused, earning a snicker from him as he closed his door. Once he took his place behind the wheel, she glared at him. "And don't dare do any less than five over the limit."</p>
      <p>"Jesus, Hermione," he panted, eyes wide.</p>
      <p>"This was your idea, Harry," she reminded him.</p>
      <p>"I know," he replied, reaching for her hand. "And so far, I regret nothing."</p>
      <p>She nodded and hummed in agreement, holding tight to his hand as they made their way to last stop of the night.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>NINE</strong>
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      <p>Hermione was still on the edge of her seat when Harry parked his truck at the hotel, but the sting of being denied was quickly zapped away at the sight before her. She turned her head slowly towards Harry, her jaw dropped in awe. "This must have cost a fortune. Harry-"</p>
      <p>"Relax," he urged, massaging the hand that was still twined with his. "I told you I wouldn't be reserving a room at a place that made you feel uncomfortable."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, but-"</p>
      <p>"No buts, Hermione. Just enjoy it."</p>
      <p>She swallowed hard and looked back at the grand space before her. While it wasn't the most lavish of places, it was still one of the hotels that screamed luxury. It was just on the tipping point of being unaffordable and knowing that Harry had rented <em>two </em>rooms was making her stomach twist with guilt. She had looked at this place before out of curiosity and knew how much even the cheapest room cost.</p>
      <p>Harry pulled her to him after helping her out of the car, his hands stroking her back in a way that helped clam her. "Would you rather I have picked a motel or something?"</p>
      <p>"No," she mumbled against his shirt.</p>
      <p>"Then stop fretting about the money," he pleaded, kissing the top of her head. "I promise you that I didn't break the bank by doing this." He pulled back to smile down at her, his knuckles sliding along her jaw. "Besides, it's my money. I should be able to spend it however I want, no?"</p>
      <p>"Yes, but-"</p>
      <p>He kissed her to silence her protests again. "Don't let this ruin the night," he whispered against her lips.</p>
      <p>She sighed, their breath mingling in the space between them. "I won't. Thank you, Harry," she said, kissing him again before he took her hand and tugged her away from the truck.</p>
      <p>Assuming that he had checked in earlier that day, seeing as how they didn't stop to do so, Hermione followed him through the lobby and into the lift. He pulled a key card from his wallet and then held the door open for her once they reached their room. It was a typical hotel room with two queen beds, a desk beneath a TV, a large window, and white linen, but everything seemed more opulent. And when she ran her hand along the bedspread, it felt lush rather than scratchy.</p>
      <p>She turned to face with him a smile, her eyes lingering on the door next to the desk in the interior of the room. Harry looked at it too and gave a nod. "Whenever you're ready," he told her. "This room is just for you."</p>
      <p>"What about you?" she asked, hardly doubting he would be up for staying in the other room for the rest of the night.</p>
      <p>"If you want me in here, then that's where I'll be," he assured her. A smile tugged at his lips as he added, "Even if it's the other bed."</p>
      <p>She laughed quietly and then sat down on the edge of the bed, her legs bouncing slightly with nervous energy. She wished she had ordered a shot before they left. "So how are we doing this?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Am I just going in there and it starts? Are you watching from the start or coming in later?"</p>
      <p>"Whatever you want."</p>
      <p>Her gaze lifted to his slowly and she gave him a small smile. "Thanks, I feel much better now."</p>
      <p>He chuckled under his breath as he came to kneel before her. Her lips parted and her knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge of the bed when he gently pried her knees apart. His touch was feather-light as his fingers trailed up the insides of her thighs. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as he curled his index finger along the edge of her knickers and pushed them aside so his middle finger could slip through her folds. His eyes shone with desire as he tipped his head up to look at her.</p>
      <p>She shuddered and whimpered for him as he gathered her wetness and used it to circle around her swollen nub, her body aching with need again. "Watching him nearly bring you off was so bloody hot, Hermione." She cried out as he deliberately swiped her clit that time, her thighs quaking. "I can't wait to see you coming for them."</p>
      <p>It was so ungodly inappropriate that she should have up and left in that exact moment, but Hermione was too lost in her arousal to really care. His words sparked images and the images alone were almost enough to make her come right then and there. But Harry was standing up and drawing her to her feet right along with him before that could happen. She glanced at the door again and gave him a sly smile. "I'm ready."</p>
      <p>He brought his middle finger to his mouth, her juices shining in the light of the room. He licked the digit clean of her essence and hummed in approval. "I know."</p>
      <p>He moved to open the door between the two rooms and with his one hand on the small of her back, the other gestured at the other room. After a deep breath and a final nod, she crossed the threshold.</p>
      <p>Where their room had two queens, this room had one king bed and a couch beneath the window. Sirius was on the bed, his back propped against the headboard with one leg stretched out before him, the other drawn at the knee. His elbow rested atop that knee, his arm crooked so he could run his fingers through his hair. James was standing at the side of the bed, one arm around his chest, hand tucked into the crook of his elbow while the other hand rested against his chin.</p>
      <p>Both sets of eyes fell upon her immediately, their eyes raking up and down her body. She swallowed hard and turned her head when Harry's lips brushed across her cheek as he went to take a seat on the couch beneath the window. Hermione took a timid step forward, wishing she would stop shaking like a leaf. It wasn't helping that the three of them were watching her every move and the anticipation was tearing her insides apart.</p>
      <p>Sirius smirked and gestured towards her with the hand not lost in his dark locks. There was no hesitation from James as he took it as an invitation and crossed the gap between them in a few purposeful strides. There wasn't even a pause when he came to a stop before her and pulled her close, his hand cupping her face to tilt it up so he could claim her lips. Her lashes crested against her cheeks as she surrendered to him.</p>
      <p>Where Harry's kisses, even in the throes of passion, were on the sweeter side of sensual, James' were hot. Not quite as sinful as Sirius, but somewhere in the middle. As he tasted every inch of her mouth, a promise of what was to come, he let his hand drop from her face to join the other at the hem of her dress. She trembled as he gathered the material and slowly began to lift it up. Her sharp inhale from breaking the kiss sounded through the room and she worked on catching her breath in the few moments it took to remove the garment and toss it to the floor.</p>
      <p>James' gaze was dark and hungry as it took in the sight of her without the dress on. Her nipples pebbled beneath the sheer cups of her bra as her knickers dampened beyond repair. Slowly, like a lion stalking its prey, he circled her, taking in the view from every angle. From the corner of her eyes she could see Harry and Sirius enjoying the sight as well. "Did you buy this for us, love?" he asked, his voice husky against the shell of her ear as his hand smoothed down the flesh of her rear.</p>
      <p>She swallowed hard and nodded, but that wasn't the type of response he had been looking for. Something he made clear by giving her rear a sharp smack. She whimpered and gnawed on her lower lip as he pressed himself against her back, his hand gliding over her hip in search of her cunt.</p>
      <p>"Speak up, love. Make sure we can all hear you."</p>
      <p>A small moan tore from her throat as he pressed his knuckle against her clit over the ruined fabric of her knickers. "Y-yes."</p>
      <p>His chuckle warmed her skin and sent vibrations down her back. "Try again, love, even I barely heard you," he urged, grazing over her clit again.</p>
      <p>"Please," her whisper was barely audible to her own ears as she leaned back against him and closed her eyes.</p>
      <p>His lips were soft against the column of her throat as he pulled his finger away in favor of sliding his hand down the front of her knickers. He hissed at how wet she was and nipped carefully at her skin. "Tell them how you bought this just for us," he whispered. "Make sure they hear you and I'll give you what you want."</p>
      <p>Her hips bucked forward against his hand, his middle finger falling into the depths of her slickened folds. "I bought this…" a moan interrupted her sentence as he parted her nether lips and spread the wealth of her arousal to her clit. "For tonight. For all of you."</p>
      <p>A symphony of groans echoed off the walls and the sound made Hermione whine as well as grind against James' hand. "Good girl," he purred, his tongue tracing the shell of her ear as he picked up the pace of his fingers across her clit.</p>
      <p>Her hand came to rest on his forearm, torn between pushing him away and never letting go as he brought her closer to the release Sirius had denied her earlier. She keened as she ground down against him, desperately wanting to fall apart in his arms. "Please…" she begged, her voice strangled with lust. "I'm gonna… Gonna c-come, <em>oh!</em>"</p>
      <p>Her entire body seized and she cried out so hard she was sure her throat would be raw before they even really started. "That's right, love, ride it out," he whispered as he slowed his movements a tad to prolong the extent of her release. When the last few tremors of pleasure subsided into the gentle aftershocks, James withdrew his hand and brought it up. She moaned at the sound of him sucking away her essence and then spun in his arms to kiss him so she could taste herself on his tongue.</p>
      <p>"Take off her knickers," Sirius demanded, his tone darker than usual. "Leave the rest."</p>
      <p>James knelt before her and slid his hands up the outside of her thighs, his eyes locking onto hers and never moving. After a bit of shuffling with the garter belt, he was able to hook his fingers around the top of her knickers and pull them down so she could step out of them. Before rising to his feet again, he leaned in and ran in tongue up her slit once, causing another moan from her. When he was up again, he gave her a gentle nudge towards the bed and watched her move towards Sirius.</p>
      <p>Her gaze wandered over to Harry who was resting back against the couch, his hand wandering over the bulge of his jeans. She blushed under the fire of his gaze and smiled, glad to find his nod encouraging rather than seeing him jealous or sickly.</p>
      <p>Sirius had slid his way down so he was lying flat on the bed, only propping himself up and twisted at the waist to reach for her hand and help her kneel on the bed. He tugged on the strap holding up one of her thigh highs and let it snap back into place before trailing a finger over her skin. "These look like they could make the perfect earmuffs," he teased, grinning at the way her brow quirked. "Up here, Kitten. I want you to taste you."</p>
      <p>She bit her lower lip out of nerves and gave a slight shake of her head. "Sirius-"</p>
      <p>"Trust me, I'll consider myself lucky should I be snuffed out this way," he replied, shooting her a grin. "Come on, up you get," he urged, gesturing with his hand before holding it out to her.</p>
      <p>She hesitated for only a moment longer before taking his hand and then placing one knee on the bed, then the next. He guided her over him and helped her into position. She leaned forward, gripping the top of the headboard and peered down at him. She still had herself lifted high up on her knees, afraid she would actually suffocate him. Before she could work up the courage to sink lower, she gave a yelp of surprise as his arms snaked around her thighs and pulled her down.</p>
      <p>But the awkward moment of having his face buried in her nether region was short lived as his tongue swept through her and licked without pretense. He alternated between cleaning up her ever flowing juices, tonguing the center of her core, and assaulting her clit as if it were about to run away from him. After a few short minutes, she closed her eyes, tossed her head back, and bucked her hips the way he wanted her to. She rode his tongue as she gripped the headboard so hard her knuckles turned white and when she came, she swore she lost every one of her senses for a few seconds.</p>
      <p>When she was able to do more than just exist, she looked down to see Sirius had moved her back to straddle his waist. He had even sat up so that she was nearly eye-level with him when. His face was glistening and as she watched him get what he could with his tongue, she blushed hot enough she thought she might pass out from it.</p>
      <p>After another moment to cool down, she leaned in and pressed her lips over his. She only pulled back when she needed to breathe and sat back to pluck at his clothes. "Take off your shirt," she rasped before shimmying down until she was on her knees between his legs.</p>
      <p>"Anything you say, Kitten," he replied with a wink as he sat forward enough to remove the garment.</p>
      <p>As it fell to the floor beside the bed, Hermione started unfastening his pants. She was able to pull them down a fair bit along with his shorts and then shuffled out of his way so he could kick them off the rest of the way. When he was completely nude, his cock bobbing against his stomach as it wept for her touch, she settled back in between his legs and leaned forward. With her ass sticking up in the air, she arched it higher and propped her self up on one elbow. With one hand grasping the base of his shaft, her tongue circled the tip of his cock once, twice, and then she lowered her head until he was fully seated inside her mouth.</p>
      <p>She felt the bed dip behind her, but it didn't make her stray from her task at hand. She moaned around Sirius' cock as James palmed the globes of her rear and spread her apart. He nudged her into the stance he needed and a few seconds later, the head of his cock was pushing through her slit. Once it was coated in her arousal, he lined himself up and snapped his hips, filling her to the brim.</p>
      <p>She did lift off of Sirius at that, her lips letting go with a rather loud pop. Her hand picked up the pace and she licked her lips as she tossed her head over her shoulder. James' grip tightened on her hips as he pistoned in and out of her at a speed she didn't know humans could achieve. It was maddening and she could feel her inner walls quaking as if ready for another release already. With another moan, she went to resume her oral ministrations, but caught sight of Harry on the couch.</p>
      <p>His jeans were open and pushed off his hips. His cock was out and he was stroking himself leisurely as he watched. Their gazes met and she wet her lips at the hunger in his gaze. She already knew there was euphoria to be had in being shared, but it was nothing in comparison to being watched. And combining them together… It was heaven.</p>
      <p>With a grin to Harry, she turned her attention back to Sirius, alternating her techniques until she found what elicited the best sounds from him. As if she wasn't already on the precipice of release, James snaked a hand between them and thrummed her clit until she lifted her head and came with a series of loud, wailing moans that she was sure anyone on their floor if not above and below them could hear.</p>
      <p>It took her a second to realize that she was being moved forward with a gentle press of hands against her rear. She whined as James slipped out of her and when she looked back, she frowned at the sight of him still hard and ready. She could tell from the lack of slick oozing out of her that he hadn't come yet. "Don't worry about me, love," he assured her as he came to kneel at her side. "I wanted to feel you come around my cock, but now I want to come down your throat."</p>
      <p>Hermione swallowed and nodded with enthusiasm as he leaned in and kissed her hard. When he pulled away, she continued her ascent until she was straddling Sirius at the waist once again. She reached between them and held him still while she sank down onto him carefully. She didn't even need to prime him first as her mouth had already done that.</p>
      <p>His hands gripped at her hips and she knew between the two of them doing that she would have bruises in the shape of fingertips for weeks afterwards. He just held her in place, waiting for her to adjust to him as well as the angle. When she was ready, she ground her hips and began to move. Once they got their rhythm down, James moved up closer to the pillows and both of them guided her forward so she could take his pussy soaked cock into her mouth.</p>
      <p>Sirius' hands stole around to her backside and spread her cheeks wide. "How's the view, Kid?"</p>
      <p>Hermione went still for a moment, only moaning when Sirius took over the thrusting portion. Harry all but moaned, "Bloody brilliant."</p>
      <p>Sirius' chuckle turned into a grunt as his hips stuttered beneath her. "Squeeze me any harder and you'll break me."</p>
      <p>She hummed around James' cock and leaned into the hand he had placed along her jaw to steady her. She relaxed her jaw as best she could and he took the hint and began to thrust, slowly building up his pace to make sure she could handle it. A shiver coursed through her as someone unclasped her bra and pulled it down her arms before tossing it aside. Immediately her pebbled peaks were pinched and pulled, drawing moan after moan from her.</p>
      <p>"Christ, I'm nearly there, Kitten. Can I come inside of you?"</p>
      <p>She pulled her mouth off of James' cock to breath and nodded vigorously. "Y-yes!"</p>
      <p>"Finish sucking him off and then I'll fill you up," he demanded with a tweak to her nipple.</p>
      <p>She nodded and followed his command without hesitation. James grunted as he took her head in both of his hands and thrust faster against her tongue. With a hollow of her cheeks and a hard suck, she felt the first burst of his release hit the back of her throat. He stilled as the rest of it flowed over her tongue and she did her best to swallow him down. Some dribbled out from the corners of her mouth, but she didn't have time to worry about it before Sirius was flipping her onto her back and pushing her knees back towards her chest.</p>
      <p>Her head ground back against the pillows as her body arched the best it could in her current position. He was thrusting hard and hitting deep, pushing at her g-spot until she came with a violent scream. She clutched at him like a vice and milked down every last drop of himself he had to give until he was completely spent.</p>
      <p>A smile graced her lips as she heard a familiar groan she knew to be Harry getting himself off. And when Sirius slipped off her to her lie at her side, she turned her head to see Harry staring at the them with pupils blown wide in ecstasy and quite the mess flowing over his fingers. Her lips curved into a smile after a contended sigh and she closed her eyes for just a second. Just as she the highs of her bliss began to fade, James was there, pulling her into his lap for round two.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>TEN</strong>
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      <p>Hermione squirmed as she straddled James' lap. Unable to clamp her thighs together in this position, there was nothing to prevent Sirius' release from dribbling out of her onto James. His hands wrapped around her hips, placating her. She gave a half moan as her nails dug into his shoulders; her eyes fluttering closed out of embarrassment. "Don't be shy now, love," he whispered, his forehead coming forward to rest against hers as his right hand slid down the curve of her hip, finding her dripping wet center. She moaned again as he pushed two fingers into her swollen entrance as if he didn't care one bit about the mess.</p>
      <p>A series of breathy, "Pleaseplease<em>please</em>," escaped her lips as he curled his fingers inside of her.</p>
      <p>He hummed as her hips jerked in search of <em>more</em> only to whine at the sense of loss from the withdrawal of his fingers. Her eyes snapped open a moment before he brushed his fingers across her lips, coating them the mess from between her thighs. She parted her lips, moaning again as he slid the digits along her tongue, watching as she sucked them clean. "Are you ready for more?" he asked, his eyes darkening. "Or do you need a break?"</p>
      <p>She shook her head as he pulled his hand away, leaving a trail of saliva on her cheek as he cupped her face and slid his hand back into her curls. "More," she whispered, punctuating her request with a roll of her hips.</p>
      <p>"More of what, love?" he pressed, his cock twitching beneath her as it hardened again, having recovered from the first round. "I thought I made it clear you had to speak up to get what you want?" At that, he wrapped her hair around his hand and tugged her head back enough so he could nip at the column of her throat. "Tell me what you want, Hermione," he added as he worked his way up to take her earlobe between his teeth.</p>
      <p>"I want you," she whispered, unable to get her voice any higher or any other words to come up.</p>
      <p>"What part of me do you want?" His hand tugged at her hair again as he nuzzled her ear with the tip of his nose. His other hand came up between them to fondle one of her breasts. "My fingers? My mouth? My-"</p>
      <p>"Cock," she hissed, her word coming out a strangled whine. "I want your cock, James. I want you to- <em>oh</em>!"</p>
      <p>Her begging was cut short as he obliged. She had barely said the words before he dropped his hand from her chest to grab hold of his length and line it up before filling her. "Hands behind your back, love. Keep them there," he demanded as he leaned back, keeping her pressed to his chest as he went. She was quick to obey, twining her fingers together behind her back. "Good girl," he purred against her ear.</p>
      <p>It should have been illegal for him to say that. The way her body reacted to those two words was the furthest thing from holy she could think of. The guttural cry that slipped past her lips as she rocked her hips above him in a frenzy was a surprise to both of them. It was a chuckle from beside them that had her movements stutter; having nearly forgotten they weren't alone. She could tell from the look in James' eyes that he was experiencing the same thing.</p>
      <p>"Careful, Kitten, you might give the old man a heart attack," Sirius said, his voice low with lust. "Though I doubt he'd mind," he added after a moment, winking at James.</p>
      <p>Hermione moved her hands from behind her back, reaching out for Sirius. He knelt closer to them, his hand replacing James' in her hair so James could focus on holding her steady as he took over; thrusting up from beneath her with renewed vigor. Sirius angled her face towards him, immediately diving in to taste the three of them on her lips from earlier. His other hands snaked down the length of her body, making her cry out into his mouth as he found her clit and began to strum it between the valley of his middle and index finger.</p>
      <p>She kept one hand on James' chest, her nails flexing as she dug into his skin for purchase, the other falling to Sirius' cock. He hissed into her mouth as she stroked him, ignoring the way the remnants of their release from earlier squelched through her fingers. "I want you," she whined as he nipped at his lips. "Both of you."</p>
      <p>"You have both of us," James grunted, his hips shifting as he changed the angle.</p>
      <p>She shook her head, tugging against Sirius' grip in her hair until he loosened it enough so she could look between them. "Together."</p>
      <p>All movement ceased for a moment, making her groan. The two of them shared a look, one that ended with a small shrug before they looked back at her and nodded. The anticipation of having two people inside of her at once made her wetter. James' hips bucked against hers twice as he felt the change in her. He looked at her, a chuckle leaving his lips. "I told you we'd give you what you want, love."</p>
      <p>"Have you ever had anyone here?" Sirius asked, a hand sliding down her backside to find the part of her he referred to.</p>
      <p>She shook her head, an action they both frowned out. A flush crept up her entire body as her lips parted to correct herself, but nothing came out. It was Harry that chimed in when it became apparent that she couldn't. "We've been working up to it," he assured them, his voice strained with lust. "She's ready."</p>
      <p>Sirius smirked as his gaze slid past her to Harry. "All that work…" he started, voice fading off into a whistle. "You sure you don't want the honors, Kid?"</p>
      <p>While they spoke, she James lifted her off of him, spinning her so that her back was resting against his chest. He also took the time to recline more before he hooked his arms beneath her knees and placed her over his lap once more. Unable to wait for a decision, Hermione reached down and grasped his cock, pushing it back inside of her with a satisfied moan coming from both of them.</p>
      <p>"I'm good right here," Harry said, catching her gaze. He was hard again and had gone back to stroking himself. He searched her face to make sure she was still okay. She replied with a nod and flushed as his gaze then wandered down to where James was thrusting in and out of her at a leisurely pace. "Are you okay if it isn't me?" he asked her.</p>
      <p>She nodded vigorously, crying out as James' teeth sank into her shoulder from bottoming out. "Please…I'm so c-close," she keened.</p>
      <p>"Patience, love," James insisted, slowing his pace once more, holding her still when she tried to quicken it again. "Not until we're both inside you."</p>
      <p>"<em>Sirius</em>-" she whined in desperation.</p>
      <p>He was there, leaning over the two of them so he could grab something off the nightstand. She heard the pop of a cap being opened and looked to see him putting a generous amount of lubricant on his hand. With a wink at her, he looked down to where her and James were still joined. She and James groaned as Sirius wrapped his hand around James's shaft and pulled him from her cunt. He gave James a few solid pumps, spreading the lube over him, but keeping most of it concentrated towards the head before guiding him back to her.</p>
      <p>She inhaled sharply; her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as Sirius lined James' cock up at her rear entrance. She felt herself pucker as they eased him against her. Her eyes went wide as he began to push and a groan escaped her lips at the slight burn that came with being stretched. It took a few tries, but when her body relaxed enough to accept him, James stilled, letting her adjust. He let her sink down on him until she was comfortable and after doing a few shallow thrusts, she reached out for Sirius.</p>
      <p>He wasted no time in slotting himself into her core. Four groans sounded through the room in a lewd quartet. She could feel both of them through the thin skin of her body that separated them. She clenched at them both, ready for them to move and make her lose complete control. James was the first to move; his arms tightening their hold around her legs, squeezing them further against his chest. Sirius moved a moment later, the two of them figuring out a rhythm that worked and before she knew it, her release was there. It tore through her, making her cry out so loud she wasn't sure if she would be able to talk for a day or two.</p>
      <p>They groaned along with her, but neither stopped the frenzy of their thrusts as they sought their own pleasure within her. This had been the only thing that they hadn't done the first time around. She wasn't sure if they weren't interested at the time or if they thought she wasn't. Either way, it solidified James' words. That if she spoke up and told him what she wanted, he would give it to her.</p>
      <p>And as her gaze drifted over to Harry around Sirius' shoulder, she couldn't help but smirk. It seemed that mentality ran in the family. This sure as hell wouldn't be happening if Harry hadn't gotten her to speak up. A part of her was terrified by the fact that they had only been together a short amount of time, but he already knew her better than she knew herself. He knew she had wanted this and he loved her enough to give it to her.</p>
      <p>But the question of whether he would still love her come the morning remained.</p>
      <p>As she crested again, this time dragging Sirius and James along to the stars with her, she buried that thought, focusing on the new heights they pushed her to. She could feel them pulsing within her as they gave her their all. Her body convulsed around them too, taking all they had to offer while still trying for more.</p>
      <p>Sirius was the first to slip out of her, sliding forward until he collapsed onto the bed. He turned at the last second so that way he was laying on his back. He did what he could to help when James moved to lift her off of him. He shifted to the other side of the bed before they gently set her down between them. She stared up at the ceiling; her shoulders pressed up against theirs as they all panted for air.</p>
      <p>She jumped as she felt hands on her thighs, dragging her down the bed a bit. She lifted her head to see Harry kneeling on the bed, pulling her to where he wanted her. She swallowed hard and nodded; a silent answer to the question that sprang to life in his eyes. She planted her feet on the bed, her thighs quaking something fierce as they parted so he could lean forward and settle between them.</p>
      <p>She wasn't sure if she would be able to come again, but she would never deny him anything he wanted. Not after he allowed her all of this.</p>
      <p>His hands slid down the inside of her thighs, spreading her apart, leaving nothing hidden. She whimpered and ground her head against the sheets as he leaned in to taste her. Her hands fisted the sheets, pulling them as his tongue started lower than he ever had before, collecting the slick that had gathered around her rear. He probed the entrance, moaning against her as the pucker gave way and let him in. She shuddered violently as she recalled just who it was that had been in that same area not but a few minutes prior.</p>
      <p>But try as she might, she couldn't find anything but pleasure as Harry continued to lick his way up to her clit. His moans sent vibrations through her body and made her shiver, far too turned on by the fact that he didn't seem to mind the mess between her thighs. A groan of epic proportions left her lips as his closed around her clit, the tip of his tongue flicking rapidly. "<em>Harry</em>!"</p>
      <p>The bed shifted on either side of her and she felt her hands being extracted from the sheets only to have fingers twine with hers. She forced her eyes open and looked back and forth to see that James and Sirius and pushed themselves onto their sides and taken hold of her hands. "One more, Kitten," Sirius urged, his lips finding her shoulder.</p>
      <p>"That's it, love," James murmured against the shell of her ear. "Come for him like you came for us. I want this whole hotel to hear how much you like this."</p>
      <p>She clung to their hands, pleas and cries falling from her lips as Harry added his fingers inside of her and curled them. He was relentless in his ministrations; almost as if he sensed her body's reluctance to come again. She wanted to; it wasn't just out loud that she heard herself begging for sweet release.</p>
      <p>It was just as Harry slipped a third finger into her core and his little finger into her rear that she shattered. If her last cry of passion hadn't alerted everyone in the surrounding walls as to what was happening in their room, they certainly knew now. She was definitely glad she'd asked for a hotel. If she had stayed home or any of their places, she would have never been able to look the neighbors in the eyes again.</p>
      <p>The first thing she heard when her sense of hearing returned to her was James whispering, "Good girl," in her ear over and over again.</p>
      <p>Sirius chuckled beside her, his lips continuing to press against her shoulder. "I think I'll have to rename you," he said. "Kittens don't roar quite like that."</p>
      <p>Slowly, she extracted her hands from them and forced her eyes open. Harry was sitting up, using both hands to wipe the excess off his chin. She swallowed hard and pushed herself up into a kneel as well, ignoring the protest her body made by trembling more. She shifted forward, her hands on his chest. She pushed until he took the hint and sat back on his calves. As she leaned forward on her forearms, he whipped his shirt over his head, hissing as she closed the distance and took his cock into her mouth.</p>
      <p>He was close; whether for the second or third time, she wasn't sure. It wouldn't be long before he came for her and she was ready. She groaned at the taste of him and the way he felt against her tongue. Two sets of groans were audible from behind her and she widened her stance, giving James and Sirius an uninhibited view of the slick running out of her, coating the backs of her thighs and dripping onto the sheets. Fingers sank into her hair, leveraging himself in order to thrust in time to the way she hollowed her cheeks.</p>
      <p>And just as she suspected, it wasn't long before he groaned deep and tightened his hold on her hair. She slowed her pace down to barely nothing as he emptied himself down the back of her throat. A little dribbled past her lips, but she welcomed it just as she did with the everything else. Finished, she released him from her mouth and let him guide her up so he could kiss her. She moaned into his mouth as the taste of all four of them flavored their kiss.</p>
      <p>Her body's demand for rest had her drawing away before she was truly ready to. She sat back, ignoring the overly damp feel at her core. Sirius and James moved out of the way again and she collapsed onto her back once more. If Harry draped himself across the foot of the bed, went back to the couch, or left the room entirely, she wasn't sure. Her eyes refused to open and the only thing she could really hear was her blood pumping through her veins.</p>
      <p>It wasn't long before the bliss they'd all made her feel lulled her into what turned out to be the best sleep of her life to date.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
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        <strong>ELEVEN</strong>
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      <p>Hermione woke with a start, not even remembering when she had fallen asleep. She was sandwiched between James and Sirius; the three of them nothing more than a tangled mass of limbs, sweat, and bodily fluid. Not sure if they would wake, but too desperate to relieve the sting of a full bladder, Hermione did her best to get out of bed without disturbing the peace. Having been successful, she nearly ran to the bathroom and sighed with relief as she emptied herself. Finished washing her hands, she grabbed one of the hotel provided robes from the hook behind the door and belted it around her waist before taking her leave of the room.</p>
      <p>It wasn't until she came back from the bathroom that the smile fell from her lips as she realized Harry was nowhere to be seen. The door to the adjoining room was closed and with a worried skipping of a heartbeat, she made her way towards it. Relief washed over her at the sight of him sleeping on one of the beds, but the worry was still present at why he was in this room and why he hadn't brought her with him.</p>
      <p>Hesitantly, she crawled into bed next to him and cupped his face. He woke from her touch and blinked a few times before realizing it was only her. He smiled and leaned in to press a brief kiss to her lips. "What are you doing in here all alone?" she asked, the worry clear in her voice.</p>
      <p>"Well, I'm a little old to be sleeping in the same bed as my father and the couch was not meant to be slept on," he said, reaching up to brush the hair from her face. "Did you get enough sleep?"</p>
      <p>Her shoulder lifted slightly. She felt rested, but she was also deliciously sore. "Do you want to talk about it?"</p>
      <p>His eyes searched hers for a moment, his fingers dipping into the slit of the robe and running down her side until his hand rested on her hip. "Did you enjoy yourself?"</p>
      <p>Her jaw ticked for a second. "If I say yes, does that make me a terrible person?"</p>
      <p>His smile was warm as his thumb ran soothing circles on her skin. "Of course not," he said softly, his brow furrowing slightly. "I would feel awful if you said no."</p>
      <p>"Was it weird?"</p>
      <p>He gave it some consideration and then gave a slight shake of his head. "A little," he admitted. "But I've never been more turned on in my life." He smiled as he leaned in for a peck on the lips. "Does that make <em>me </em>an awful person?"</p>
      <p>She smiled back at him and shook her head. "If it does, then we can be awful together."</p>
      <p>He laughed and pulled her closer to him until there wasn't any space left between them. "You know, that doesn't sound half bad."</p>
      <p>Slowly, his hand crept further down and when his fingers brushed the top of her mound, she squirmed away from his touch. "Harry…"</p>
      <p>"Sore?"</p>
      <p>"Yes," she murmured, pulling away as her face began to warm. "But it's not that." Her thighs rubbed together as if on cue and she groaned at the tack that caused the skin to snag. Whenever she had fallen asleep, it was before she had the chance to clean herself up. Even wiping after using the bathroom a few moments prior hadn't helped much since most of it was on her thighs instead of her core. And while it was one thing for him to touch her in the heat of the moment last night, it was another in the cold light of day.</p>
      <p>"Right," he said after a moment. He cleared his throat and then slid off the bed. She watched as he ducked into the bathroom and came back with a small bag. "I didn't think you wanted to go home as you are so I brought you a change of clothes and some shower stuff."</p>
      <p>Hermione was off the bed and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're the best. Thank you."</p>
      <p>"You're welcome," he said, pulling back to kiss her cheek. "I'm gonna go grab something for breakfast and I'll be back."</p>
      <p>"Why not order room service?"</p>
      <p>His smile wasn't as bright as the previous one and it made reignited that worry. "I just need a minute."</p>
      <p>She nodded, figuring it would be best for her to have a little time to herself as well. "Take your time. They were still asleep when I got up so there shouldn't be any rush."</p>
      <p>He jostled the bag in his hands for a second and stepped away. "I'm gonna freshen up first," he said and slipped away into the bathroom.</p>
      <p>Hermione sat on the edge of the bed as she heard the shower turn on and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling exposed despite the robe around her nude form. She glanced at the door that joined the rooms. It was still open from when she had come looking for Harry. From her spot on the bed she could see her sweater dress from the previous night on the floor in the other room. After a moment of indecision, she got to her feet. Keeping her arms crossed over her chest, she crossed the threshold and made a beeline for the garment.</p>
      <p>She jumped at the sound of a whistle as she bent to pick it up. Holding it tight to her chest, she whirled around to see Sirius coming out of the bathroom. "Shame you woke up before us," he said, his voice low as he approached. "At least you're still here this morning. Had me disappointed for a moment when I first opened my eyes."</p>
      <p>"Harry wasn't here so I went to check the other room."</p>
      <p>He glanced at the door over her shoulder. "That him in the shower?" She nodded and he gave her chin a light, teasing grasp for a second before letting go. "He was far too into it to let it get in the way, Kitten." His eyes shimmered as he leaned in, his lips hovering beside her ear. "I wouldn't be surprised if he suggests we do this again."</p>
      <p>Hermione reared back, staring at him with wide eyes and hugged her dress closer. She cleared her throat, but no matter how much she wanted to tell him off, each time she opened her mouth to speak, the words died on her tongue.</p>
      <p>He winked at her and moved around the room to gather his clothes. "I heard him say something about getting food. Tell him to wait for me and I'll go with him. I could use a smoke."</p>
      <p>"That's a terrible habit," she replied immediately.</p>
      <p>He laughed. "Yes, well, I seem to be drawn to things I can't quit."</p>
      <p>She rolled her eyes and waited for him to close the door to the bathroom before turning around to head back to the other room. She paused before taking her first step as she spied James still sleeping on the side of the bed closest to her. She let her gaze sweep over him and then tore her eyes away and forced herself to move.</p>
      <p>Once in the other room again, she simply sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Harry to get out of the shower. When he re-emerged from the bathroom, she relayed Sirius' message. Knowing she loved the smell of spearmint toothpaste, her gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and sent her into the bathroom with the promise of being back soon with food. A promise that her stomach let them both know she was more than ready for.</p>
      <p>For it being a mostly basic shower, it was the best one she ever had. She kept waiting for guilt to rear its ugly head, but she kept being pleasantly surprised when it never showed. There was still that residual doubt, worry, and anxiety, but they were all so faint it wasn't too hard to handle. And the longer she stayed under the water, the more relaxed and strangely calm she felt. So she milked it for all it was worth and stayed there until the water started to turn cold.</p>
      <p>Hair wrapped in a towel, dried off, teeth brushed, Hermione dug through the bag for the clothes Harry brought her. A smile graced her lips as she pulled out a plain T-shirt and her favorite shorts. She snickered as she realized he hadn't packed a bra, but decided she didn't really need one if she was just going home. Stepping into fresh knickers, she finished dressing and let down her hair, ran a brush through it and then stepped out of the bathroom.</p>
      <p>The door to the other room was closed, but with no one in this room, she wondered if they were waiting for her over there. Quietly, she knocked on the door and after a moment, James was opening it for her. There was a brief second of awkward tension before she laughed. "Why is it every time there's a door, you're on the other side of it?"</p>
      <p>"At least you're smiling this time," he said, stepping back to let her in. "They're not back yet," he added when he saw her shoulders drop at the empty room.</p>
      <p>There were at least half a dozen places that were within walking distance from the hotel. Harry must have needed more than just a minute. "Where the hell did they go?"</p>
      <p>"I wondered the same thing," he said with a shrug. "I'm sure they'll be back soon."</p>
      <p>She gave a short nod, but whatever she had been prepared to say was lost as she caught sight of her garter belt on the floor. Color rose to her cheeks as she cleared her throat. James turned to follow her line of sight and reached up to rub the back of his neck; a nervous tick he shared with his son. Without a word, he went to pick it up and continued to move around the room until he had her bra and stockings too.</p>
      <p>"Thanks," she replied as he handed them over.</p>
      <p>There was a piece missing, but she was too embarrassed to ask about it. James seemed to catch on and she saw a bit of color spread up his neck as well. "I'm pretty sure Sirius pocketed your knickers."</p>
      <p>"Oh," she said, shifting on her feet. "Okay then," she added and after a moment, she slipped past him to put the clothes in the bag with her dress. When she turned around, he was lounging against the door frame that connected the rooms.</p>
      <p>"You okay?" he asked.</p>
      <p>She nodded and gave him a smile, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not really sure how I feel."</p>
      <p>"You don't have to have it figured out right this second," he replied. "The idea was unconventional, I'll give him that." He gave a quick shrug of his shoulders. "Who knows, maybe it will just bring us all closer."</p>
      <p>She snorted and shook her head, a smile on her lips. "A real family affair."</p>
      <p>He grimaced, but at least his smile didn't waver. "Maybe we don't say that to anyone else," he said as he pushed himself off of the frame and stepped closer to her.</p>
      <p>She nodded in agreement. "It didn't sound as bad in my head," she admitted, watching with him as he approached. She straightened as he stopped in front of her, his hand coming up to rest on her face. "James…"</p>
      <p>"If the guilt or anything else does start to manifest, will you please talk to Harry?" he asked. "I don't want you to run away from him; from any of us really. Not again."</p>
      <p>She gave a small nod and leaned into his touch. "I won't," she promised, meaning it.</p>
      <p>"Good girl," he murmured, amusement twinkling in his eyes.</p>
      <p>She shivered and narrowed her eyes slightly despite the smile on her lips. "You can't-"</p>
      <p>"I know, sorry. Last time," he promised. "Same goes for this."</p>
      <p>Before she could ask what he meant, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. She wasn't sure if he meant to keep it brief, but her lips parted automatically and his tongue was there to greet hers. Her arms wound around his neck, her fingers sinking into his still damp hair. He kept one hand holding her face while the other rested on her hip and pulled her closer.</p>
      <p>She was both relieved and disappointed when the kiss never escalated beyond what it started as. Regardless, she enjoyed it while it lasted, drinking him in and savoring the moment, knowing it would be the last. When he did pull away, the only part of their connection that severed was their mouths. He rested his forehead against hers as they caught their breath, their air mingling in the space between them.</p>
      <p>It was the sound of the key card in the other door that had James pulling away with a whispered, "He's lucky to have you."</p>
      <p>She stared after him for a moment, watching as he turned and entered the other room. Up until that moment she had been fine, but from the moment he kissed her, something changed. With a deep, shaky breath, Hermione cleared her throat and joined them in the other room.</p>
      <p>Harry held out the desk chair for her with a smile as Sirius handed her a coffee with a nod of his head. With the food and coffee passed out and everyone sitting to eat, she glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on James the longest. She swallowed hard as she took a bite of her food and listened to Sirius and Harry carry on with whatever conversation they must have started before coming back. All the while, trying to sort out the newfound feelings she shouldn't be having; wondering if she hadn't just made the biggest mistake of her life.</p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>TWELVE</strong>
</p><p>In the few weeks that followed, Hermione found that her relationship with Harry was stronger than ever. As the days passed on, it was easier to let go of that feeling of dread that he was going to wake up one day and tell her he had made a giant mistake and he couldn't look at her anymore. If anything, he seemed to want her more. He had even stayed over once they got back to her flat and even initiated a light hearted round of sex that very night.</p><p>The only thing that seemed to keep pestering her was the way James' kiss had made her feel. She knew part of the reason it wouldn't leave her alone was that she refused to acknowledge it. Refused to admit there was something there that needed to be dealt with. She was just determined to ignore it for as long as possible and pretend everything was as harmonious as Harry believed it to be.</p><p>She had seen him and Sirius on more than one occasion, the most notable being another backyard barbecue at Remus' house and the other for Harry's birthday where even Severus and Lily were present. Sirius was still a big flirt. He would continually say things just to get her to blush and often in front of Harry, but she recognized the difference between now and before. Before, there was clear intent and desire. Now, it was all harmless fun. He did it in jest and never took it too far. She knew there was a part of him that would love nothing more than to go again, but he was content either way.</p><p>James was still a gentleman, much like his son, but each time she saw him, their interactions became less and less noble. It had started out fine, the first time or two he was cordial towards her, acting as if nothing had happened between them. But then she noticed that his gaze would settle on her when she wasn't looking. She knew it was him; could feel it in her bones. Knew because soon his gaze would often linger long after she tore hers away.</p><p>And the looks were only the beginning. It soon escalated into innocent, yet unnecessary touches. For instance, at Remus' get together, Dora had asked her to get something from the kitchen and she was more than happy to oblige. James was there, opening a fresh beer, and when she slid past him to get into the cupboard, he placed a hand at the small of her back. It seemed as though he always found a reason to be near her and an excuse to touch her. She refused to show how much each one affected her.</p><p>The last and least innocent of them all had been at Harry's birthday gathering. There was no way it could have been passed off as an accident nor could she hide her reaction to it. They were at Remus', a place she quickly realized was used to hosting lots of gatherings, and she found herself in the walk-in pantry looking for the paper plates and plastic utensils Dora had asked her to find.</p><p>Lost in thoughts about her work, she had simply stood just inside the door for a minute, staring off into space. It was when she turned to the side that she noticed someone standing right behind her and she nearly jumped out of her skin. She raised a hand to her mouth when she squeaked in surprise and then it lowered to settle against the racing heart beneath her chest.</p><p>"You scared the fuck out of me," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at James. "How long were you standing there?"</p><p>"Not long," he said, sipping at his beer. She didn't believe him for one second. "What are you looking for?"</p><p>"Plates and plastic silverware," she replied.</p><p>A single brow quirked as he raised his hand still wrapped around his beer, a single finger lifted to point at the shelf right next to her. "Those?"</p><p>She glanced over and stared at them for a moment before clearing her throat and looking back at him. "Yes, thank you."</p><p>The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly with his grin. "You're welcome. Happy to help."</p><p>Her mouth went dry as he took a step forward, nearly pinning her between himself and the shelf. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice a panicked whisper.</p><p>"Helping," he drawled, reaching up with his free hand to bring down the stack that she needed.</p><p>"I could have reached it myself," she breathed. "I'm not <em>that </em>short." He chuckled and set the stack on a lower shelf, but otherwise didn't move away from her. "James-"</p><p>His eyes darkened slightly at the sound of his name in such a tone and she tried to get her breathing under control again. He shifted closer and brought his hand up so his fingers could play with the ends of her curls. As his hand began to work its way up to her face, Hermione let out a whine and reality snapped back into her.</p><p>"Don't."</p><p>His fingers twitched in mid-air as he considered the risk versus reward of ignoring her request. Ultimately, his hand dropped back to his side, but he didn't move. She glanced out the pantry door and guilt twisted her stomach. If anyone came into the kitchen they would see them acting far outside the social norms.</p><p>"I'm with Harry," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "We were all in agreement about what would happen after. You're his <em>father</em>, please…" She shook her head as her voice trailed off. "Please stop making this harder than it needs to be."</p><p>"So it's not just me?"</p><p>Her lips parted to answer, but neither one of them got to know her response as the sound of the sliding glass door from the backyard to the kitchen had them breaking apart. He stepped away from her and watched as she grabbed the items he had brought down for her and scurried away.</p><p>That had been the last time she'd seen him.</p><p>It had also been one of her deciding factors when she went to work that following week and her boss pulled her into his office to deliver some news. News that she had been wanting to hear for some time, but came with a life-altering decision attached. One that she was sure was the fastest she had ever made.</p><p>The hard part came after accepting the promotion and working with her current boss and her new one on a few arrangements. The turn around was to be fairly quick which meant she had to tell Harry immediately. Even the night at the hotel wouldn't be as pivotal to their relationship as what she was about to present him with.</p><p>The easiest way to approach it was to invite him over for dinner the first night he was free and make his favorite meal. Once he was buttered up with her semi-decent cooking, she laid everything out on the table for him as clear as humanly possible. And just as it had been a lot for her to take in, she knew it was even more for him.</p><p>"You don't have to make a decision right away," she informed him.</p><p>That seemed to relax him a tad. "You made it sound the opposite."</p><p>She gave a small nod. "They needed my decision right away, but we have some time to make the arrangements for you to join me."</p><p>"When do you leave?"</p><p>"I fly out at the end of next week."</p><p>His eyes widened at that as he looked around her flat. "That's less than two weeks from now, Hermione. How do you expect to pack all this stuff up and move it to a different country? Across international waters, no less."</p><p>"Part of my arrangement included furnished housing. I plan to bring the essentials and a few sentimental things, but a lot of this is probably just going to stay with the flat. Whatever larger items I want, my parents will store for me."</p><p>He leaned back against the couch and ran a hand down his face a few times. "You're really moving to the States," he muttered, as if saying it aloud would help him believe it.</p><p>She nodded and reached for his other hand, scooting closer. "I love you and I'm sorry that I didn't discuss it with you before I accepted, but I put in for this promotion before I even met you. It's my dream job, Harry."</p><p>He sat up and pulled her into his lap. She curled up against him and sighed as he stroked her side and played with her hair. "I would never want to be the reason you passed up on this, Hermione. This is a great opportunity and I'm so, so happy for you." There was a pause and she took a deep breath. "I just don't know if I'm ready to make that move. I never really saw myself leaving England. What would I even do for work?"</p><p>"Which is why I don't want an answer right now."</p><p>"And you're sure long distance wouldn't work?"</p><p>Her bottom lip quivered as she pulled back so she could look at him, her hand cupping his cheek as she spoke. "Maybe if I was going on a temporary assignment and the plan was always to come back," she began, a sad smile touching both their lips. "But if you never wanted to leave home and I never plan on coming back, I'd rather part on good terms and be friends than us torture ourselves knowing it's just a matter of time."</p><p>He nodded against her hand, the stubble tickling her palm. "How soon do you need an answer?"</p><p>"By the time I leave. You can come out when you're ready, but if you're not a hundred percent sure you will, tell me."</p><p>She saw the questioning glint in his eye a moment before he asked, "Are you sure this has nothing to do with-"</p><p>"No," she replied, cutting him off. She shook her head and moved so she was straddling his lap and holding his face in both hands. "I know the timing looks strange, but I promise my decisions would have been the same no matter what." It was mostly the truth, but she would never say otherwise.</p><p>"I believe you," he said, the look in his eyes confirming his words.</p><p>As she leaned in to capture his lips with hers, her hips grinding down, she put all her fears, doubts, and excitement about the upcoming chapter of her life aside so she could focus on the present. She had a feeling she knew what Harry's answer would be and she wanted to make the most of their time left to memorize everything about him. Something she planned to start right that very moment on her couch.</p><hr/><p>That following weekend, her parents set up a going away party. All of her friends and family was there to give her a proper send off, even Harry's parents, Remus, Dora, and a few others seeing as how he hadn't told her whether or not they would be together a week from now. But even with that part of her future so uncertain, it was a great night. It was a surprise for most of the guests since she had only told Harry and her family that she was leaving. Another reason her parents had decided to throw a party. That way she could tell everyone at once.</p><p>Aside from being thoroughly surprised, the reception was followed by praise and well wishes. Only a few seemed to take the news a bit harder than she expected, but that was fine with her. It wasn't them on the verge of packing up their entire lives and moving overseas in a week's time. Within the first hour of the night she had had enough hugs to last a lifetime and shed more tears than necessary.</p><p>Even Sirius' hug followed by a suggestive comment of, "If you need a proper sendoff, Kitten, you know where to find me," had made her laugh and cry at the same time.</p><p>The only person who didn't come to give her a hug and wish her well was James. He had simply tipped his beer towards her as she extracted herself from Sirius and turned away before she could even register the look in his eyes. She shrugged it off quickly as the next person that crossed her path pulled her in for yet another hug and shared words of encouragement.</p><p>Needing a break from it all, Hermione stole away to her old room on the second floor. The nostalgia of being surrounded by all of her pre-college memorabilia brought tears to her eyes. Realistically, she knew it was silly to cry; that it wasn't as if she would never seen anyone again. She could come back to visit as often as she liked, but just like with everything else, it wasn't a question of if, it was when.</p><p>She turned at the sound of the door opening and watched with wide eyes as James ducked in and clicked the door back into place behind him. "You shouldn't be up here," she said after a moment, trying her best to keep her voice level.</p><p>He ignored her as he took a step towards her. "You're really leaving?"</p><p>"It's an amazing opportunity," she replied. "I would be mad to pass it up."</p><p>"You sure you're not using it as an excuse to run away?"</p><p>Her jaw clenched as she fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm not," she said, voice tight. "And not that I owe you an explanation, but it's something I applied for before I met Harry. It's what I put myself into debt to go to school for."</p><p>He studied her for a moment, a hand coming up to rub at his chin. "Harry hasn't said anything about going with you."</p><p>Her lip quivered slightly and the tears stung at her eyes again, but she blinked them away. "That's because he's not coming," she whispered. "He hasn't told me he's made his decision yet, but I can tell he's made one."</p><p>"How's that going to work?"</p><p>She swallowed hard and brought her arms up to wrap around herself. "It's not." Confusion knit his brows together and she sighed before giving him an explanation anyway. "He doesn't want to move and I don't plan on coming back. It didn't seem fair for either of us to ask the other to compromise and I have no interest in a long-distance relationship."</p><p>"So that's it for the two of you," he said after a moment. "You leave and it's over."</p><p>She gave a small shrug as her hands ran over her biceps, trying to pass off her trembling as being cold. "What other option is there?"</p><p>His response was immediate; one that she wasn't completely expecting to hear. "Stay."</p><p>She bristled a little and held his gaze. "That's...I can't," she whispered. Not even Harry had asked her to stay and yet James was there, practically begging. An awkward silence settled over them as her heart skipped a beat, nearly breaking from the pained expression that took hold of his face. She took a deep breath and took a step forward. "I should head back down," she whispered as she made her way towards the door, making brief contact with him in the process.</p><p>Her hand had barely touched the handle on the door before he was there. A strangled gasp escaped her lips as he turned her and pinned her against he door. His mouth was hot on hers and she kissed him back with equal fervor. There was too many emotions pent up between the two of them; more so in her over what was to come, that she didn't have the energy to fight it.</p><p>She moaned into his mouth as he lifted her skirt. Immediately, he was pushing her knickers down her thighs. As they fell the rest of the way, he ran his hand over her core to see if she needed more preparation only to groan into her mouth when it was clear that she didn't. She whined as he withdrew his touch in favor of grasping her thighs and pulling her up. Her legs wrapped around his hips automatically as her arms went up to his shoulders to steady herself. He used his hips to keep her in place as he made quick work of his fly and before she knew it, they were joined together with one powerful thrust of his hips.</p><p>She wasn't sure which was the worst fact of being fucked against her childhood bedroom door. The fact that she hadn't even lost her virginity in this room or that it was her soon to be ex-boyfriend's father that she was fucking. As she tossed her head back, biting her lip to stifle a moan, she wondered if anyone could hear them. If they would know just by looking at her when they returned to the party. If so, she was sure that would be the worst part.</p><p>For the moment, as James dropped his head to the crook of her neck and one hand between them to rub at her clit, she found she didn't care. She would later, but in the heat of the moment, all she could focus on was the feel of his cock sliding in and out of her core; of the way he stretched and filled her body while his fingers brought her closer to falling apart.</p><p>It didn't take long for either of them to reach their breaking point. His thrusts became deeper and more frequent, as did her subsequent moans and bucks of her hips. And with the quietest moan she could manage, she squeezed her eyes shut and lost herself to the throes of passion as her body milked every drop of his release.</p><p>It wasn't until he slipped out of her that he helped her to her feet. Her entire body was trembling something fierce as he tucked himself into his trousers and knelt to help her step back into her knickers. She pulled them on the rest of the way, ignoring the way their combined releases pooled and seeped through the fabric and onto her thighs. When their clothes were back in order, he leaned in and kissed her in a way that almost made her change her mind about leaving.</p><p>That thought alone terrified her more than moving away from her friends and family. Especially when he pulled away and held her as if there was more to his feelings than just desire.</p><p>After taking far too much time of standing there with their foreheads resting against one another, catching their breath, Hermione made the first move. "I have to go," she whispered.</p><p>To the guests downstairs.</p><p>To the States.</p><p>She had to go. But as she took her leave of the room, she wondered why it hurt more to think about leave him over anyone else. Over his son. The boyfriend she hadn't even officially broken things off with yet.</p><p>Refusing to look back after a brief pause at the top of the stairs, she took a deep breath and made her descent. By the time she reached the bottom, she had a smile on her face and all terrifying thoughts shoved deep, deep down where she hoped they would stay until she was alone to deal with them.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>THIRTEEN</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Five months later...</strong>
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</p><p>The fear that seized her gut upon stepping off the plane in the States had only lasted a day or two. It was overwhelming at first, to be surrounded by so many unfamiliar things at once. The city, her apartment, her place of work; all of it took some getting used to, but the more exposure she got to each one, the better she felt. By the end of her first week, she felt less ready to change her mind and go home and more amped to wait for things to settle.</p><p>It took nearly a month for everything to really come together, the longest bit being her adjustment to the new time zone. She credited a lot of it to Harry for keeping her sane. She had been right in her assumption that he wasn't going to come with her. He had even told her the night of her going away party after bringing her home from her parents' house. Just as she knew he would, he promised to remain friends and she told him she would hold him to that.</p><p>From the late night or early morning calls, texts, Skypes; he was always there for her. Aside from her parents, he was the only one she seemed to keep in contact with in the months that followed, though as time wore on, even those became less frequent as well. She didn't mind; he had a life to live as well. He was there when she really needed him and vice versa, but she didn't want to overstep their new boundaries of friendship. She was, however, glad that the transition from lovers to friends seemed to be the easiest part of the whole ordeal.</p><p>They were both relieved that there was no flares of jealousy or awkwardness when he broke the news that he had started seeing someone two months later. She could tell from the shyness of his tone that he really liked her. At the end of that conversation, she had assured him that she was truly happy for him and not only did hope she was the one, but wanted to meet her via Skype one of these days. And when that happened, Hermione found herself just as taken with Ginny as Harry was. Especially when the fiery red-head had been bold enough to flat out ask her about their history and if any feelings lingered. Her attitude was refreshing and that initial chat seemed to solidify their friendship even further.</p><p>So even though they didn't talk often, she still looked forward to when they did and lit up like a kid on Christmas morning every time his name flashed across her phone. Which was exactly how she felt one Saturday morning while trying to wrangle the door of her car open and balance her phone, coffee, and shopping bags.</p><p>"Oh good, you're up."</p><p>"Of course I'm up. You're the one who sleeps until noon," she teased, trying to set her coffee on top the car without dropping anything.</p><p>"True," he said and she could practically hear the grin as he added, "And how many books have you purchased already?"</p><p>She narrowed her eyes as she brought the bag in her hand up; one that was nearly bursting at the seams. "One of these days, you're going to ask and I won't have just cleaned out the fantasy section."</p><p>He chuckled and she rolled her eyes as she opened the door and set the bag and her purse on the passenger seat. Hands mostly free, she grabbed her coffee and went around to get in behind the wheel. They continued their teasing before moving on to the catch up portion of their chat. Their talks always ran long, so she wasn't surprised that she had even gone home and sat on the couch with her bag of books on the cushion next to her before they even started wrapping up their conversation.</p><p>"You and Ginny doing anything fun tonight?"</p><p>There was a strange hesitation on his end that made Hermione's heart skip a beat. "I think we're going out with her friends from college tonight."</p><p>"Sounds like fun," she replied, not willing to let it go. "And what about the thing you decided you'd rather not tell me just now?"</p><p>His chuckle brought a smile to her lips as she waited for him to say something. "Ginny asked me to move in with her."</p><p>Hermione went still with shock, her jaw dropping at the emptiness of her living room. She was happy for him, sure, but even after all they had been through together, they hadn't even made it to that step. For the first time, she felt the slightest twinge of jealousy. She was quick to wave it away though and shook her head. "That was fast."</p><p>"I know, I know," he said, releasing a deep breath. "We've been seeing each other just over three months."</p><p>"Well," she said. "What did you tell her?"</p><p>"I haven't answered her yet."</p><p>"Do you want to move in together?"</p><p>Another pause followed by a sigh. "I do, I just feel like we're moving too fast."</p><p>"Then tell her that, Harry. Be honest with her and soon. You know how important that is." Hermione saw the irony in her advice, a fresh wave of guilt gnawing at her stomach. Something that the long bout of silence that followed didn't help ease.</p><p>"Can I ask you something?"</p><p>"Of course," she breathed, her heart hammering against her chest.</p><p>"If your promotion hadn't moved you to the States, do you think we'd still be together?"</p><p>Hermione pulled her legs up to her chest, sinking as far as she could into the corner of the couch. She closed her eyes and rested her head in one hand as the other pressed the phone tighter to her ear. Images of her going away party flashing through her mind. "I don't know," she said, her voice light. She wanted to answer yes, that she would have never left his side. But deep down, she knew that was a lie.</p><p>"I should have listened to you," he breathed. "It was a terrible idea and-"</p><p>"Harry, stop. Don't do this. Not now; not ever. Please, just…" A faint smile tipped the corners of her lips. "Just maybe don't make that same offer to Ginny or any future girlfriend you might bring home."</p><p>There was a brief pause before Harry's laughter broke the tension. "I miss you."</p><p>"I miss you too, Harry," she replied. "Is that what's holding you back from saying yes?"</p><p>"I think so."</p><p>"You know, you were the one that said you didn't want any what ifs to get in the way of our relationship. I think you should apply that type of thinking to Ginny. If you want to move in with her, do it. Screw what society says about it being too soon. I'll always love you and be here for you as your friend. If she makes you happy, then I'm happy for you."</p><p>"Well fuck, Mione. Tell me how you really feel," he said with a laugh. "I'll tell her tonight."</p><p>"Good."</p><p>"Can I ask you something else?"</p><p>She laughed and placed a hand on her stomach when it growled, reminding her once again that coffee was not breakfast. "Sure."</p><p>"Are <em>you</em> happy?"</p><p>Never before had that question felt so loaded. Her lips parted to give an immediate response that she was, but no words came to back that claim. Overall, she was happy. She liked her job, her coworker, and her apartment, but yet, her life still felt incomplete. The problem was that she knew what was missing, but knew better than to think that was ever a possibility.</p><p>"Mione?"</p><p>She snapped out of her thoughts and took a deep breath. "I'm happy."</p><p>He sighed. "You know I can tell when you're lying, right? Even over international waters and through the phone."</p><p>"I <em>am</em>," she reiterated. "Just lonely."</p><p>"You won't be forever," he said, the certainty in his tone making her pause.</p><p>"Is that you're way of telling me I need to get out more?" she teased. "For your information, I'm going out with some coworkers tonight."</p><p>He snorted. "Somehow I doubt that more than your ability to not clear out an entire section of books from the store."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "I'm hanging up now."</p><p>"Get something to eat, will you? Coffee isn't breakfast."</p><p>She laughed; he knew her far too well. "Call me tomorrow, I wanna know how Ginny reacts to your news."</p><p>"And I want to hear all about the book you read tonight instead of how loud your coworkers are at the bar."</p><p>"Bye, Harry."</p><p>"Bye, Hermione."</p><p>After she ended the call, she sat there, staring at the phone weighing down her hand. Deciding against calling the other person on her mind, she set the device down on the arm of the couch and dove into her bag to pick her first in a long lineup of distractions. And after propping her feet up on the ottoman, she cursed Harry for knowing her too well. She definitely wasn't going anywhere that night except whatever world the book in her hands took her to.</p><hr/><p>Hermione had felt only slightly guilty by giving more than one excuse as to why she was cancelling last minute with her coworkers. She knew they would go out without her and she was more than fine with that. She was content with spending the rest of the night on her couch lost in her books. They had accepted begrudgingly, so when a knock sounded at her door at an hour far too late for them to still be trying to convince her to go out, it took her a moment to get up.</p><p>Too short for the peephole in the door, she opened it with extreme caution only to be completely thrown off by the person on the other side of the threshold. She forgot how to breathe for a moment as she stared at him. Upon her first inhale, she blinked rapidly and shook her head to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.</p><p>"James?"</p><p>He took that as his invitation and reached for her, pulling her into an embrace so tight it forced the air from her lungs. She felt herself being lifted and wrapped her legs around his waist, grunting as he maneuvered them into the house and pressed her up against the nearest wall. The door slammed shut from having been pushed or kicked with too much enthusiasm. She cupped his face in her hands as his dug into her waist. Caught up in the moment, she leaned in for the kiss she had spent too many nights dreaming about. When their lips touched, they both sighed as if the reunion was soothing a mutual ache in their hearts and souls.</p><p>"Getting here took longer than I expected," he murmured against her lips. "Sorry to keep you waiting."</p><p>"I think I missed the part where I knew you were coming," she said, lifting her head so she could see him. "I haven't seen or heard from you in <em>months</em>." Not since he had fucked her in her childhood bedroom and left her party without so much as a goodbye.</p><p>"You're the one that rejects my calls, love."</p><p>"So you just fly to another country and show up at my door in the middle of the night?"</p><p>"How else was I supposed to get you to talk to me?"</p><p>She gave a small sigh and pushed at him until he let her down. He did after a moment of internal debate. She slipped away from him and put a little distance between them before she swept her arm out in invitation. "I'm listening."</p><p>"I want you."</p><p>Her lips twitched with the urge to smile as she tipped her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. "I gathered that," she muttered.</p><p>He grinned as he raked a hand through his disheveled hair, only to make it look worse. "Not just for that, Hermione. I want <em>you</em>. All of you." He took a step forward and gauged her reaction before taking another. "I knew from the moment I saw you reading that damn book in a <em>bar</em> that there would be no one else like you. And then you came over without us even needing to ask." Another step. "For two years, I hoped that I would see you again and I told myself that when I did, I wouldn't let you go.</p><p>"And like a fucking dream come true, you were there. In my friend's house of all places. But in a nightmarish twist, you weren't there for me. You were there for Harry." He swallowed hard, taking a moment to pause. "I tried. I really fucking did, Hermione. The two of you were so annoyingly fucking good together that I didn't want to come between you, and then, in another bizarre twist of fate, I got to be with you again. I knew it was only for the night, but when that night was over, it was impossible to put up that false pretense of indifference.</p><p>"I know I messed up. That I pushed too hard the night of your party, but you were leaving. You were moving to another country <em>and </em>you were breaking things off with Harry. I thought that would be the last time I was going to see you. And instead of properly telling you how I felt, I listened to the wrong part of my body and did what I promised both of us I wouldn't."</p><p>Hermione took a deep breath, trying to wrap her mind around his confessions. "Even <em>if </em>I wanted a long distance relationship; which I still don't, by the way, I couldn't do that to Harry."</p><p>"I'm not really sure what I ever did to be so lucky as to have Harry be my son," he said, taking another step forward, watching as her brow furrowed at his words. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. He gave us his blessing and everything."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>He gave a nod and closed the distance enough to be able to reach for her hands and bring them up to his chest. "He said I was more depressed than I was about Lily and he was tired of Sirius calling to complain about it. He was smart enough to connect the dots and asked me about it. About you." He paused to smile at her. "About <em>us</em>."</p><p>Hermione swallowed hard and felt her knees lock in order to keep herself upright. "You told him?"</p><p>"He had already assumed so I just confirmed it when he asked me," he said with a shrug. "I told him the truth, Hermione. Just like I'm doing now with you."</p><p>Suddenly her randomly deep conversation with Harry earlier that day made more sense. At that point, James must have already been on the plane and Harry had known all along. He was trying to gauge how she felt to tell James before he came over. She truly didn't deserve him. "Even if we have Harry's…" she paused, the word stuck on her tongue, "you live in England. I don't."</p><p>"Actually," he started, the single word making her heart skip more than just a beat as it leapt up her throat. "As of Friday, I'm officially an employee of our New York division. My first day is not this Monday, but the one after that." He laid her hands on his chest and cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "That's why it took me so long. I talked to Harry weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure all of my affairs were in order before I came here. That way, it was-"</p><p>She launched herself at him, the collision nearly swaying them both off their feet. "Okay, <em>fuck</em>, you've made your point," she muttered against his lips as her fingers made quick work of his belt.</p><p>"Thank god. I thought you-"</p><p>She kissed him again and pushed unfastened his trousers before tugging at the hem of his shirt. "Less talking, more stripping," she demanded, reaching to take hers off. When all of their clothes were strewn about her living floor, she grabbed his hand and led him down the short hall to her bedroom where they wasted no time in making up for lost time.</p><hr/><p>The sun was just starting to poke through the curtains about the same time she felt his cock poking at her back. She squirmed and the arm he had banded around her waist tightened. "Keep that up and we won't be leaving this bed today."</p><p>"Were you planning on getting out of it?" she asked, wiggling again, but on purpose.</p><p>He snorted against her neck as he pulled her leg over his hip and checked to see if she was ready. With a groan, he pushed up and filled her. "Fuck no."</p><p>Words were lost on her as she reached behind her to grab whatever part of him she could reach. "Did you come straight from the airport?"</p><p>"Hotel first," he said, suckling at her skin. "I didn't want the sight of my bags of come off presumptuous."</p><p>"So you decided to literally sweep me off my feet and snog me senseless instead?"</p><p>"It worked didn't it?"</p><p>She whimpered as he shifted and hit deeper. "W-what about living arrangements? Do you have a place in mind?"</p><p>He nipped at her shoulder as he drew all the way out only to take his time diving back in again. "If you're asking if I'm hoping you'll ask me to stay here, the answer is no. I'm not looking to rush things with you, Hermione."</p><p>"Clearly," she muttered as she pushed her hips back in search of more friction.</p><p>She yelped as he went from torturously slow to insanely fast. He even reached over her and rubbed her clit. "If you want it harder, love, speak up."</p><p>"H-harder!" she moaned, twisting to bite into her pillow as he obliged. It only took a few more strokes before she was screaming into the same pillow as her release slammed into her like a freight train. He followed her lead and stayed lodged inside of her until he slipped out naturally.</p><p>"Besides, I have a place lined up. I sign the papers Monday. Until then, I have a hotel room."</p><p>She turned to face him, ignoring the slick that coated her thighs in the process. "What if you did stay here?"</p><p>"Hermione-"</p><p>"Hear me out," she pleaded. "We don't really know each other that well, I get that, but it feels right. We can still take it slow. I have a second room if-"</p><p>"I'm in my forties, love. If I move in it won't be as a roommate."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "Good, I don't want a roommate," she said, kissing his lips. "I want you. I want you around me all the time. I know it's a big step, but I'm ready to jump in feet first." She thought of her conversation with Harry earlier that afternoon. Maybe she should follow her own advice for a change.</p><p>He studied her as his hand rested on her hip. "You're really sure, aren't you?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Okay. I'll make the call first thing tomorrow."</p><p>She kissed him wildly in her excitement and moved to straddle his waist. After a moment, she sat back and smiled down at him. "What about all your stuff? I assume you just brought clothes with you."</p><p>"Sirius is shipping out what I couldn't pack right away."</p><p>Her brow quirked at that. "Is he coming out for a visit anytime soon?"</p><p>"Why?" he asked, his eyes alight with amusement. "Miss him too, do you?"</p><p>She smacked his chest playfully and slid back to his side. "What is it with the two of you?"</p><p>"Does it matter? You seemed to like having us together just fine."</p><p>"I did," she admitted. "And as fun as it was, I don't want to do that again. Twice was enough for me," she said, averting her gaze as guilt formed a knot in her stomach.</p><p>His brow furrowed slightly. "I knew it had something to do with that," he muttered.</p><p>"Not really. I would have taken the job either way."</p><p>He studied her a moment before his expression softened. "It's just you and me, love."</p><p>She kissed him again before sliding off the bed in desperate need to use the bathroom. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and ducked into her adjoining bath after promising a quick return. While relieving herself, she opened her texts to Harry and began to type.</p><p>
  <em>I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. I wish you would have talked to me when you found out. I hope we can still be friends, but judging from what James told me and our conversation last night, I think we'll be just fine.</em>
</p><p>She sent it and placed the device on the counter as she cleaned up and washed her hands. Before she returned to the bedroom, she felt it go off and checked his response.</p><p>
  <em>I wish you had told me too, but it seems like we're all in a good place now. I hope this cures your loneliness. I'll call you later. Love you.</em>
</p><p>She smiled at her phone, refusing to spill the tears that gathered in her eyes. Though they spilled anyway as the follow up text made her burst into laughter.</p><p>
  <em>Tell my father I said hello.</em>
</p><p>She chose not to reply to that, knowing they could laugh about it when they spoke on the phone later. "Harry says hi," she murmured as she set her phone back on the nightstand and slid back into bed at his side again.</p><p>"Well that's not awkward at all," he said, his tone playful as he rolled on top of her, cradling himself between her thighs.</p><p>"I told you; a real family affair."</p><p>He shuddered and turned her laugh into a moan as he slipped his hardened member into her still wet core.</p><p>It was how they spent the rest of the day; playing, talking, or fucking, only leaving it to relieve themselves and to eat. They took a short break to go get his things from the hotel only to come back and pick up where they left off. It was happiest she had felt in ages and she was bound and determined keep it that way. And she had all the time in the world to make sure it did.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Come on over and join my FB group:  madrose_writing if you want!  Love you guys</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am the worst at replying to comments, but I read every single one that comes my way. Just know that your words have put a smile on my face. Thank you!</p><p>Feel free to join/follow me on FB and TikTok @madrose_writing</p><p>If you're interested in my writing outside of fanfiction, you can signup for my newsletter on madrosewriting.com</p></blockquote></div></div>
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